First record of Neoscopelus macrolepidotus Johnson, 1863 (Actinopterygii: Myctophiformes: Neoscopelidae) from Irish waters (Porcupine Bank, north-eastern Atlantic)

Abstract

The blackchin, Neoscopelus macrolepidotus Johnson, 1863 (known also as large-scaled lanternfish), originally discovered at Madeira, is a globally distributed benthopelagic fish species that inhabits depths between 300 and 1100 m in the tropical and subtropical regions. Despite the sampling site of the original description, the species seems to be very rare in the eastern Atlantic, particularly at northern latitudes. The worldwide distribution of the species seems to be restricted to latitudes lower than 45Âş either in the Southern and Northern Hemisphere. During the Porcupine 2016 bottom trawl survey a specimen of N. macrolepidotus was collected at a depth of 628 m and latitude 51ÂşN in the Porcupine Bank, situated in the north-eastern Atlantic, approximately 204 km off the west coast of Ireland. This is the first record of the species in the Porcupine Bank. It significantly extends the distribution range of N. macrolepidotus and represents the highest latitude reported for this species either in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. This extended distribution may have been facilitated by the course of the Mediterranean Outflow Water, which on its way to the north-eastern Atlantic reaches the slope of the Bank at depths where N. macrolepidotus is usually distributed.

Keywords

• blackchin fish
• highest latitude record
• extended