Scopelopsis multipunctatus 



Brauer, 1906 



Fig. 208 — Scopelopsis multipunctatus, 51.8 mm. The principal photophores represent 

 those found on several specimens. The tiny secondary photophores, present on each scale 

 pocket of head and body, are shown only on the midbody. 



Description 



D. 22 (21-23); A. 24 (23-25); P. 10-11; 5 PO and 5 VO, none elevated; 2 or 3 Pol, horizon- 

 tally arranged; 4 to 6 Pre, the last elevated and widely separate from the rest. AO difficult to 

 perceive but appear to range from 7 to 10 + 5 to 6; gill rakers 8 (7-9) +1 + 16 (15-17), total 

 24-25 (23-26); vertebrae 38 (37-40). 



The drawing in Fig. 208 is a composite of observations from several specimens and is 

 intended only to show the general pattern of the primary photophores (small open circles); the 

 secondary dots are shown only for the midregion (tiny solid dots). Unfortunately, the body 

 scales are very deciduous, and fully, or even mostly, scaled specimens are rare. When most or 

 all scales are lost it is not always possible to distinguish between primary and secondary 

 photophores. Nafpaktitis and Nafpaktitis (1969) stated that they were unable to substantiate 

 Fraser-Brunner's ( 1949, p. 1098) distinction of "primary" and "secondary" photophores; how- 

 ever, that distinction is supported herein (see diagnosis of the genus). 



Supracaudal luminous gland long and broad, with 6 or 7 overlapping, roughly triangular 

 plates. An infracaudal luminous gland may not be present, or not in the usual position, but on 

 an occasional specimen two small patches of luminous tissue may be found along bases of 

 anteriormost ventral procurrent caudal rays. Supracaudal glands begin to develop on speci- 

 mens of about 55 mm. 



Size: To about 76 mm. 



Least depth of capture: It has been taken off Peru at night with as little as 350 m of wire 

 out. 



Distribution: Circumglobal in southern seas. It is plentiful off South Africa, New Zealand, 

 and in the southern Indian Ocean. In the eastern Pacific, occasional specimens have been 

 taken as far north as 15° S in the Peru Current and may be migrants, or expatriates, moving 

 north with this cold current. It has been taken at about 25° S, 155° W in mid-Pacific. 

 Discussion 



Despite the not insignificant literature on this species, only Brauer's original account 

 offers body proportions, and for only one specimen. Therefore, I present the following mor- 

 phometric data based on 15 specimens, 25.5 to 76.7 mm, taken off South Africa and Chile. The 

 average value is given first, followed by the range in values in parentheses: 



Head length 293 (262-325); head depth 187 ( 160-208); orbit length 67 (55-751; upper jaw 

 length 218 (202-238); prepectoral length 299 (276-321); prepelvic length 368 (345-384); predor- 

 sal length 416 (395-451 ); preanal length 508 (491-524); preadipose length 802 (781-823); dorsal 



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