Flashlightfishes Roughies and Squirrelfishes: Beryciformes

Perhaps the most notable characteristic of flashlightfishes, pineapplefishes, pineconefishes, and a few other fishes in this group is their ability to produce light and in some cases control it. The light is produced by glowing bacteria that live in pockets just below the skin of the fish. These fishes use the light to find and attract prey, or animals hunted and killed for food, during their nightly feeding. Some of these fishes alter the blinking pattern of the light to communicate with other fish in their species and as a method of confusing predators (PREH-duh-ters), or animals that hunt and kill other animals for food.

Little is known about the reproduction of roughies and flashlightfishes. Scientists believe that all these fishes use external fertilization (FUR-teh-lih-zay-shun), meaning egg and sperm are united outside the body. More is known about the reproduction of squirrelfishes and soldierfishes because these fishes are common in reefs, where they are frequently observed by divers. During mating male and female squirrelfish grunt and click, align themselves side by side, and place their tails together while fanning out their heads to the left and right.