Author: (Cocco, 1838)
Vinciguerria poweriae (Cocco, 1838)
Status in World Register of Marine Species:
Accepted name: Vinciguerria poweriae (Cocco, 1838) (updated 2009-06-25)
Diagnosis: body elongate; eyes normal, lateral; inter-orbital broad, its minimum width more than 13% head length; mouth large; premaxillary teeth uniserial. Meristic data for eastern North Atlantic only: gillrakers on first arch 11-12 + 3-4 = 14-16. Dorsal finrays 13-15, followed by a short adipose fin; pectoral finrays 9-10 (11); pelvic finrays 7, its base in advance of dorsal fin origin; anal finrays 12-14, its origin beneath end of dorsal fin base, its base about equal to dorsal fin base. Anus under (seventh) eighth to ninth VAV photophore. Vertebrae 38-39. Photophores (adult): ORB 2; BR 8; OP 3; IV 23 (22-24); VAV (8) 9-10; AC 12-14; OA (22) 23-24. Colour: back dark, flanks silvery; pigment streak at lower jaw symphysis (fishes over about 20 mm SL) and over premaxillae; finrays unpigmented; in juveniles (fishes under about 21 mm Sl) caueal melanophore present in median position. Size: to 43 mm SL.
Habitat: pre-metamorphic post-larvae in upper 100 m; metamorphic post larvae at 350-600 m; juveniles and adults centered at 200-400 m by day; diel vertical migrator, juveniles and adults occupying 50-350 m depth at night. Food: small crustaceans. Reproduction: dioecious; peak spawning, spring-summer. Adult photophore complement attained at about 19 mm SL.
Distribution: circumglobal, subtropical; in Clofnam area uncommon north of Gulf of Cadiz; apparently more abundant in eastern than western Mediterranean basin.
Eggs, larvae and young stages. Sanzo, 1913: 1-71 Jespersen and Tåning, 1926: 22, fig. 13-16 | Grey, 1964: 124, 140 | Ahlström and Counts, 1958: 399, fig. 26-27.
Otoliths (sagitta). No data.