Distribution of the lanternfish Ceratoscopelus maderensis (Lowe 1839) off Northwest Africa and its relation to water mass

Adults of the lanternfish Ceratoscopelus maderensis have a broad depth distribution and a primarily zonal distribution in the temperate-subtropical Atlantic, but are also high ranking in the Mauritanian upwelling area. The previous concept of a temperature-dependent distribution is questioned on the basis of hydrographic and fish larvae data from a new survey in combination with older data. The almost congruent horizontal distributions of adults and larvae coincide better with salinity characteristics in the lower-most daytime range of the adults, than with temperature. Adult C. maderensis live during daytime in deep water with Mediterranean influence. The southermost limit coincides also with oxygen deficiencies at the respective depth.