Electric lantern fish (Electrona risso)

Scientific name: Electrona risso Cocco, 1829

The Electric lantern fish (Electrona risso) is a marine fish of the family Myctophidae.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-15; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 18 - 20; Vertebrae: 32 - 34. Branchiostegal rays: 7-9.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Scientific name: Electrona risso
Family: Myctophidae (Lanternfishes)
Order: Myctophiformes (Lanternfishes)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 8.2
Depth range: 90–820 m (295–2690 ft)
Environment: Marine; bathypelagic; oceanodromous; depth range 90 - 820 m
Climate: Deep-water
Distribution: Eastern Atlantic: British Isles to Namibia, also the Mediterranean (gap across region of cyclonic gyre between the South Equatorial Countercurrent and western branch of Benguela Current (5?S-13?S). Larvae, however, are not found among the cruise collections in the Agulhas Current Region. Western Atlantic: off Suriname to Brazil. Northwest Atlantic: Canada. Indian Ocean: 0?-40?S. Western Pacific: Australia. Eastern Pacific: 42?-25?N, 5?-20?S and west of 80?W. Recorded from off Tungkang in Taiwan and Tungsha Islands in South China Sea.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=3.03; tmax=1.5)

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026