Gigantactis vanhoeffeni is a member of the genus Giganactis, the name of which is a combination of gigantos, meaning "giant", with actis, which means "ray", an allusion to its unusually long illicium. The specific name honours Ernst Vanhöffen, a German zoologist who studied jellyfish on the Valdivia Expedition.[6]
Description
Gigantactis vanhoeffeni has metamorphosed females which are distinguished from other species in the genus by the length of the illicium. The illicium is relatively short with a length equivalent to less than 120% of the standard length of the fish, even shorter in larger individuals. The bulb of the esca has an elongated tip. This elongated tip has a covering of spinules and is darkly pigmented. The bulb and the elongated tip has flattened papillae on their surface. The tip of the escal has short filaments near its tip and thin filaments near its base. The illicium has a pair of filaments near the esca on its rear surface. The long teeth on the dentary are arranged in 3 rows.[7] This species has amaximum published total length of 62 cm (24 in).[2]
Distribution and habitat
Gigantactis vanhoeffeni is found in the tropical and temperate parts of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans where it lives at depths between 500 and 5,300 m (1,600 and 17,400 ft). It has reached as far north as Greenland.[1]
