D 18; A 20; P1 6; P2 5; BR 18.
HL 8.6% of SL; ED 1.8; BD 9.1; SN 2.5; IO 2.3; UJ 10.2; CP 1.7; P2L 12.4; DH 6.2; AH 5.2; Barbel L 13.7.
Body slender, its length about 11 times of its depth, and very compressed. Head about 12 in SL. Snout very short about 3.5 in HL. Jaws well developed, lower jaw larger and more projected forward than upper jaw. Mouth protractile. Six fang -like teeth curving inward in which three are larger than others on upper jaw and fang-like teeth curving inward in which three are larger on lower jaw. Maxilla with saw-like fine serrations. Mental barbel slender, flexible, its length about 1.8 times of HL. Luminous bulb with two slender black, simple filaments at terminal of barbel. Fang-like teeth curving inward, three pairs on vomer and two on palatine. Dorsal and anal fins placed far posteriorly, close to caudal fin. Pelvic fin base nearer to caudal fin than to head. Pectoral fin placed low on body, immediately behind gill-opening. Luminous organs well developed: IP 9; PV 46; VAV 12; AC 13; OV 42; VAL 13. Photophore pattern on side of body forming six longitudinal rows, each pattern marked by regular small photophres. Body black to dark brown. Fins pale in preserved specimens. Barbel stem pale, one black spot at base of bulb. Bulb pale, filament black.
Distribution:
Bathypelagic waters of Gulf of California and Chile.
Remarks:
Besides the species described in this book, Stomias nebulosus Alock, 1889 from the Pacific and Indian oceans, S. danae Ege, 1933 from the Pacific, S. brevibartus Ege, 1918 from the North Atlantic, S. colubrinus Garman, 1899 from the East Pacific, North Atlantic, and off west coast of Central Africa, and A. affinis Günther, 1887 from circumtropical waters are recognized (Morrow, 1964).