. Elements of zoölogy. Zoology. THE TRUE FISHES. 173 Lamp-Fishes {Stomiatidce).—In these and allied fishes the skin is naked, or the scales extremely minute, and nearly all have organs that look like pearl or glass buttons imbedded in the skin. According to Leydig, they are of three kinds : first, eye-like organs ; second, pearly, glass- like organs ; and, third, luminous organs. According to different authors, they are eyes, electric or light-giving organs. Gunther considers them all luminous, and that their function is to light the dark recesses of the submarine world. In the Stomias the pea
. Elements of zoölogy. Zoology. THE TRUE FISHES. 173 Lamp-Fishes {Stomiatidce).—In these and allied fishes the skin is naked, or the scales extremely minute, and nearly all have organs that look like pearl or glass buttons imbedded in the skin. According to Leydig, they are of three kinds : first, eye-like organs ; second, pearly, glass- like organs ; and, third, luminous organs. According to different authors, they are eyes, electric or light-giving organs. Gunther considers them all luminous, and that their function is to light the dark recesses of the submarine world. In the Stomias the pearly spots are along the ventral surface, a veritable row of glowing lights. Allied to the Stomias is -the lamp- fish {Scopelus) ; upon its head is a soft prominence that glows like a head-light. Willemoes-Suhrn says, " One of them hung in the net like a shining ; Other phosphores- cent spots are scattered along the lower surface of Scopelus Humboldti and Be- noitii (Fig. 216). Another allied form is the Bombay duck or Harpodon (Fig. 216), that is luminous over its entire sur- face. The eyes of Ipnops are adapted for receiving and perhaps emitting phos- phorescent light, and a curious phos- phorescent organ is found upon the head. Fig. 215.—Luminous org^n Several species of the genus Echiostoma from side of Scopelus live in Australian seas at a depth of two (j"lS- 2l6> 8)> and a half miles. They are black, with long, fringed barbels, and below the eyes and in other places are several luminous spots. The Bathyophis ferox lives at a depth of nearly three miles, the greatest depth attained by any fish. It has long barbels or feelers, and rows of gleaming lights on its various parts. Allied is the Chauliodus (Fig. 216, 1). The tips of the fins are luminous, while a row of luminous spots extends the entire length of the body. The little fishes Argyropelecus (Fig. 217) and Ster- noptyx are found in the Mediterranean. The body is extremely deep, rising su
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
