Telescopefish

Gigantura indica

Fish
IUCN: Least concern

Usual depth575–2,750 m
Water temperature14–29 °C
Best monthsJune, September, and December
How commonRare

About this species

Telescopefish are small, deep-sea aulopiform fish classified in the small family Giganturidae. Telescopefish can be found at the depths of 2000 meters under water. The two species are within the genus Gigantura. Though rarely captured, they are found in cold, deep tropical to subtropical waters worldwide.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Telescopefish”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 3 records
February: 3 records
March: 8 records
April: 8 records
May: 5 records
June: 15 records
July: 7 records
August: 1 records
September: 11 records
October: 0 records
November: 9 records
December: 12 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 575–2,750 m · Deepest record: 2,750 m

0–10 m: 1 records
10–20 m: 0 records
20–30 m: 0 records
30–40 m: 0 records
40–50 m: 0 records
50–60 m: 0 records
60–70 m: 0 records
70–80 m: 0 records
80–90 m: 0 records
90–100 m: 0 records
100–110 m: 1 records
110+ m: 69 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 14–29 °C

14–16 °C: 1 records
16–18 °C: 2 records
18–20 °C: 1 records
20–22 °C: 0 records
22–24 °C: 2 records
24–26 °C: 69 records
26–28 °C: 10 records
28–30 °C: 6 records

Names and classification

English: Telescopefish, Indian Telescopefish, Lisa's Pacific Telescope Fish, Pacific Telescopefish, telescopefish

Names in 2 more languages

Japanese: Kogashiraboengyo, コガシラボウエンギョ
Simplified Chinese: 太平洋遠視魚, 巨尾魚

Other scientific names: Bathyleptus gracilis, Bathyleptus indicus, Bathyleptus lisae, Gigantura gracilis, Rosaura indica, Rosaura lisae, Rosaura rotunda

Similar species

Chun's Telescopefish
Gigantura chuni

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
91 open-data records from 1956 to 2016.

Log what you see on your next dive

The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.

Join the waitlist