Biology of Myctophid Fishes (Family Myctophidae) in the Rockall Trough, Northeastern Atlantic Ocean

AbstractAspects of the biology of myctophid fishes, Myctophidae, in the Rockall Trough off northwestern Ireland were studied in a series of consecutive seasonal samples taken from July 1973 to March 1974 and from March 1975 to February 1976. Of the nine species that occurred, the three dominant species, Benthosema glaciale, Lampanyctus macdonaldi, and Protomyctophum arcticum, were concluded to have regular life cycles. Seasonal abundance of larvae at each developmental stage, duration of larval development, vertical distribution pattern of larvae, life span, growth pattern, spawning season, age at maturity, and diet were studied in these three species and their life history strategies, segregation of habitat, spawning season, and diet discussed.Of the remaining six species, two species, Myctophum punctatum and Notoscopelus elongatus, are at the northern geographical limit of their breeding population in the Rockall Trough because of the rare occurrence of their larvae. The other four species, Notolychnus ...