Preliminary Ecological Data on the Cocco's Lanternfish Lobianchia gemellarii (Cocco, 1838) (Osteichthyes: Myctophidae) in Mediterranean With New Records in the Northern Ionian Sea

ABSTRACT This paper presents preliminary ecological data on the Cocco's lanternfish Lobianchia gemellarii (Cocco, 1838) (Osteichthyes: Myctophidae) in the Central Mediterranean and its first records from the northern Ionian Sea. A total of 28 specimens of lantern fish were collected using an experimental trawl net between August and September 2023 in a depth range of 500–701 m in the northern Ionian Sea (central Mediterranean), as part of the MEDITS project. Their morphological traits, the presence and arrangement of photophores together with the otolith characteristics allowed the identification of these specimens as L. gemellarii. In the study area, the standard length of individuals was up to a maximum of 109 mm, which is the largest size ever found for the species. A length‐age key was estimated through otoliths reading. The stomach content analysis for all individuals is also reported. Plastic fibers were found in the gut contents of two individuals. This study not only represents the first record of the species in the northern Ionian Sea but also provides information and a new contribution to the knowledge on the role of the species in the Mediterranean marine food web.