Teleostei (teleosts) >
Stomiiformes (Lightfishes and dragonfishes) >
Stomiidae (Barbeled dragonfishes) > Astronesthinae
Etymology: Astronesthes: Greek, astra = ray + Greek, esthes, -es = suit, something used to wrap (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 50 - 2230 m (Ref. 58302). Deep-water; 25°N - 37°S, 15°E - 154°W
Indo-Pacific: Its range seems to represent the equatorial distributional pattern; it expands southwards in the western parts of the Pacific (including the Philippine Sea, Ref. 41299), and Indian oceans; absent in the eastern part. Atlantic Ocean: Present in a small portion near southern Africa.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 20.8 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 27676)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 17; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 12 - 16; Vertebrae: 43 - 46. Last photophore of VAL series behind origin of anal and last photophore of VAV series. Aggregation of luminous tissue on head, when fully developed fish > 10 cm SL, forming transverse bar across gill cover; longitudinally oriented aggregations of luminous tubercle-like spots on body behind head and above pelvic fins. In immature fish < 6 cm SL, chin barbel fully developed, longer than head, its swollen tip forming elongate thickened rod with two flattened distal lobes (Ref. 27676).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Epi- and mesopelagic, with fishing depths to 4000 m (Ref. 58302). Found on the continental slope (Ref. 75154).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Parin, N.V. and O.D. Borodulina, 1996. Revision of the Astronesthes indicus species group (Astronesthidae), with descriptions of five new species. J. Ichthyol. 36(8):551-565. (Ref. 27676)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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