FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 72, NO. 2 



was present in the July 1970 samples and 

 appeared to be represented by a 42-to 51-mm 

 group in September and a 46- to 57-mm group 

 in December. The CT series in March collected 99 

 specimens, 56 of which were 24-36 mm or roughly 

 equivalent to the majority of the IK specimens. Of 

 the remaining CT specimens, 26 were 50-76 mm- 

 perhaps representative of the 46- to 57-mm group 

 in the December IK series. 



The catch per effort and size composition of IK 

 catches were roughly equal for day and night indi- 

 cating no differential avoidance. However, 22 of 

 the 35 specimens over 60 mm were taken by the 

 CT. The largest taken by the CT was 89 mm and 

 only four larger individuals were taken by scat- 

 tered IK tows. Thus it appears that individuals 

 over 60 mm regularly avoid the IK and that larger 

 ones avoid both trawls. The largest individual 

 (117 mm) was a female that appeared to be near- 

 ing maturity. Judged from the above data, it is 

 likely that this species takes at least 3 or 4 yr to 

 mature. 



the filament. The lateral filaments on the bulb 

 were much shorter than the bulb itself. The sys- 

 tematic status of this form is presently under 

 study by other workers (Gibbs, pers. commun.). 



Twenty-four of the specimens were taken at 

 50-200 m at night and eight were taken at 500-640 

 m during the day. Only four of the specimens ex- 

 ceeded 60 mm indicating that the large, mature 

 fish consistently avoided both trawls. 



Astronesthes spp. 



Three other species of Astronesthes were taken. 

 A. gemmifer (6; 91-138 mm) was taken once at 

 night at 245 m, four times at 580-690 m during the 

 day, and once by a day tow to 1,150 m. As- 

 tronesthes lucifer (10; 26-49 mm) was taken five 

 times at night at 25-195 m, and by day at 250, 550 

 (3), and 640 m. Astronesthes luetkeni (6; 26-74 

 mm) was taken in only three tows for which depth 

 information was valid: 125 and 200 m at night and 

 600 m during the day. 



Astronesthes splendidus (82; 22-110 mm) 



About 75% of the A. splendidus collected were 

 taken at 25-130 m at night. There was no obvious 

 trend in size composition with depth. Only 16 

 specimens were taken during the day, all but 2 of 

 these between 600 and 800 m. Nearly transformed 

 larvae with photophores (< 25 mm) and small 

 juveniles were present only in June, July, and 

 September suggesting summer or early spring 

 spawning. These young may have been rep- 

 resented by 40- to 60 — mm fish which made up 

 85% of the March catch, but so few fish were 

 caught in December that the connection between 

 the two size groups is tenuous. Only 15 of the 82 

 specimens were over 60 mm and none were ma- 

 ture. The size composition of IK and CT catches in 

 March was similar. Thus both trawls were avoided 

 by most larger juveniles and consistently by 

 adults. 



Heterophotus ophistoma (28; 32-245 mm) 



Of 17 H. ophistoma taken at night, 15 were 

 taken between 50 and 200 m. The other two were 

 nearly transformed larvae taken in a closing net 

 tow at about 630 m. Ten of the 11 day specimens 

 were taken at 625-775 m; one was taken at 1,000 

 m. Eighteen were larvae or recently transformed 

 juveniles (32-64 mm), and all but two of these were 

 taken in July or September. The two largest 

 specimens, 235 and 245 mm, were males and ap- 

 peared to be mature or nearly so. 



Neonesthes microcephalus (2; 135-147 mm) 



One A^. microcephalus was taken at 640 m at 

 night and the other in oblique tow to 1,600 m. 



Melanostomiatidae 



Astronesthes sp. (near si tnilis) (37; 21-133 mm) 



The specimens of this species of Astronesthes 

 agreed with the description of^. similis by Gibbs 

 (1964) except for the barbel tip. Instead of being 

 unornamented, the barbel tip of the Hawaiian 

 specimens had a dark terminal filament about as 

 long as the bulb and often a pale tip at the end of 



Eustomias bibulbosus (20; 80-145 mm) 



Fourteen E. bibulbosus were taken at 75-300 

 m at night; however, only two large (131 and 145 

 mm) individuals were taken below 125 m. During 

 the day, six were taken between 600 and 960 m. 

 Sixteen of the specimens were small (80-102 mm), 

 and none of the large ones were mature. 



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