Origin Of Notoscopelus kroeyeri In The Northeast Atlantic

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The lanternfish Notoscopelus kroeyerii is widely distributed in the North Atlantic, being one of the most widespread lanternfish species inhabiting the mesopelagic community. The literature contains information on length distributions, feeding habits and some meristic characters from the Northeast (NEA) and the Northwest Atlantic (NWA). The aims of this study were to compare the N. kroeyerii from these wide areas on each side of the Mid Atlantic Ridge (MAR), and to test whether the samples within the NEA area, i.e. from the northern NEA (Norwegian and Faroese waters) and the southern NEA (Hatton Plateau and Porcupine Bank areas) have the same origin. The present study validates that N. kroeyerii from the NEA and NWA were significantly different. The N. kroeyerii from the NEA having fewer gillrakers (mean= 26.6) than those from the MAR (mean = 27.6) and NWA (mean= 28.5). It is concluded that the N. kroeyerii in Faroese and Norwegian waters are not different from N. kroeyerii from the Porcupine Bank and Hatton Plateau.