Myctophum obtusirostrum 



Taning, 1928 



Fig. 59 — Myctophum obtusirostrum , male, 61.5 mm. 



Description 



D. 13(12); A. 18(17-19); P. 18 (17-19); AO 7 (6-8) + 4-5 (6), total 12 (11-13); gill rakers 7 

 (6-8)4- 1 + 16-17(15-18), total 25 (24-27); vertebrae 35. 



Distance between hind margin of orbit and upper opercular margin greater than orbital 

 diameter. Upper opercular margin straight and serrate in specimens of about 30 mm and 

 larger. Scales weakly crenulate along forepart of body below lateral line. PLO nearer pectoral 

 origin than to lateral line. 



Males with 5 (4-6) luminous scales in the supracaudal gland, with pigmented margins, 

 covering one-half to three-fourths of the upper surface of the peduncle; females with 2 (1-3) 

 luminous scales in the infracaudal gland, smaller and less sharply outlined with pigment. 



Size: To about 80 mm. 



Least depth of capture: At surface at night. 



Distribution: In central tropical Pacific waters, but eastward only to about 130° W; also 

 found in the western Pacific and Indo-Pacific region and in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. 

 Discussion 



Recent action regarding the synonymy of this species is discussed under M. brachyg- 

 nathuni. 



Myctophum brachygnathum 



(Bleeker, 1856) 



Fig. 60 — Myctophum brachygnathum . female, From Sarenas, (1954, p. 403, fig. 7) (as 



M. pristilepsis). 



65 



