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Nice, Département des Alpes-Maritimes, France, northwestern Mediterranean Sea.

Holotype: MNHN A-2519. Possible syntype: SMF 753.

Gibbs RH, Jr. 1984. Stomiidae. In: Whitehead PJP, Bauchot M-L, Hureau J-C, Nielsen J, Tortonese E, editors. Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Paris: UNESCO. p 338–340.

Stomias boa is a common predator of meso- and bathypelagic oceanic waters. Two subpecies are recongnized: S. boa boa, known from the western Mediterranean, off West Africa and in the Southern Ocean, and S. boa ferox, known throughout much of the subtropical, tropical, and temperate Atlantic.. These taxa are distinguished by the number of photophores in the ventral row (see "Diagnostic Description").

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Temperate, subtropical, and tropical oceanic waters of the Atlantic; also in the Southerd Ocean and temperate latitudes of the Indian Ocean.

Southern circumglobal; eastern Atlantic from Portugal to South Africa, including Mediterranean Sea.

Species of the genus Stomias are very elong and slender, with large jaws bearing fang-like teeth and a moderately long and posteriorly place dosrsal fin. Species of the genus are distinguished from other genera in the family Stomiidae by the following characters. Upper jaw extending to near anterior margin of preoperculum; premaxilla proctractile. Hyoid barbel long and slender, terminal bulb and filaments at tip. Maxilla with numerous small teeth on posterior half of ventral margin. Vomer with pair of teeth; palatine bearing one to three teeth. Gill arches bearing tack-like teeth rather than rakers. Floor of mouth present, membrane connecting halves of lower jaw to isthmus. Pectoral fin placed low on body; pelvic fin indserted nearer to caudal-fin base than to snout. Anal and dorsal fins opposite and placed far posteriorly on body. Dorsal adipose fin absent

Photophores present below eye, on brahciostegal membrane, in ventral row from isthmus to caudal-fin base and in lateral row from posterior margin of opercle to anal-fin origin; small luminescent organs scattered over head and body. Body covered with five or six rows of hexagonal scale pockets, and, when undamaged, covered with gelationous coat.

Maximum size: 322 mm SL

To more than 30 cm.

Barbel usually about as long as head, with 3 short filaments arising from end of distal bulb; upper jaw with a small anterior tooth, a large fang and 3 to 5 smaller teeth; lower jaw with 2 small anterior teeth, 2 large teeth and 3 to 7 smaller teeth. Six rows of hexagonal areas above lateral series of large photophores; 82–91 photophores in ventral series (IC, from anterior end of isthmus to fleshy part of tail). Color iridescent silver.

Holotype for Stomias boa
Catalog Number: USNM 170953
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Year Collected: 1928
Locality: Hudson Gorge, 125 Miles SE. of N.Y. City, New Jersey, United States, Atlantic
Vessel: Wheeler

Depth range based on 1030 specimens in 4 taxa.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 917 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): -9 - 5100
  Temperature range (°C): 0.279 - 22.330
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.158 - 44.278
  Salinity (PPS): 32.279 - 39.011
  Oxygen (ml/l): 0.259 - 7.198
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.034 - 3.220
  Silicate (umol/l): 0.859 - 163.066

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): -9 - 5100

Temperature range (°C): 0.279 - 22.330

Nitrate (umol/L): 0.158 - 44.278

Salinity (PPS): 32.279 - 39.011

Oxygen (ml/l): 0.259 - 7.198

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.034 - 3.220

Silicate (umol/l): 0.859 - 163.066
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Habitat Type: Marine

Deep oceanic waters to more than 1,000 m depth; may migrate to near-surface waters at night

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Midwater fishes and crustaceans.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 1
Specimens with Barcodes: 28
Species With Barcodes: 1

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

Rounded Global Status Rank: GNR - Not Yet Ranked