Face-Down, Tail-Up: Unusual In Situ Behavior of the Blackchins <i>Neoscopelus macrolepidotus</i>, <i>Neoscopelus microchir</i>, and <i>Scopelengys tristis</i> (Myctophiformes: Neoscopelidae)
Leah A. Bergman,
Yoshihiro Fujiwara,
Victoria E. Assad,
Jessica N. Perelman,
Jeffrey C. Drazen,
Dhugal J. Lindsay
Affiliations
Leah A. Bergman
School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara 252-0373, Japan
Yoshihiro Fujiwara
Research Institute for Global Change (RIGC), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
Victoria E. Assad
Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Jessica N. Perelman
CIMAR/NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Honolulu, HI 96818, USA
Jeffrey C. Drazen
Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii, Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
Dhugal J. Lindsay
Institute for Extra-Cutting-Edge Science and Technology Avant-Garde Research (X-STAR), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan
Orienting vertically with the head facing upward allows fish to look for the shadow of their prey against ambient light, while also making their own shadow smaller to predators beneath them. Here, we describe the in situ behavior of three midwater fish in the family Neoscopelidae, Neoscopelus macrolepidotus, Neoscopelus microchir, and Scopelengys tristis, all of which were observed facing vertically with the head downward. This behavior allows the fish to diminish its shadow to hide from predators while hunting prey below. Assessing unique behaviors helps us better understand the role of these and other poorly studied deep-sea fishes.
