Lightfish (Ichthyococcus ovatus)

Scientific name: Ichthyococcus ovatus Cocco, 1838

The Lightfish (Ichthyococcus ovatus) is a marine fish of the family Phosichthyidae.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 15 - 17. Brown-yellow in color, flanks silver; fin bases and edges of scale pockets black. Both dorsal and ventral adipose fins present. Short, deep body, small mouth with lower jaw, microscopic teeth and tubular eye.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Ichthyococcus ovatus
Family: Phosichthyidae (Lightfishes)
Order: Stomiiformes (Lightfishes and Dragonfishes)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 5.5
Depth range: 0–2500 m (0–8202 ft)
Environment: Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 0 - 2500 m, usually 200 - 500 m
Climate: Deep-water
Distribution: Circumglobal except North Pacific. Southwest Pacific: Australia and New Zealand. Southeast Pacific: Chile. Eastern Atlantic: scattered records along Azores and the Mediterranean, from Portugal south to Canary Islands, also Namibia. Western Atlantic: between 20?N-45?N, including the Gulf of Mexico. South China Sea.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

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

Last updated 27 September 2026