An exhibit of eyelight fish collected during a seafloor cavern survey has begun at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.  

≪オオヒカリキンメ≫
Scientific name：Photoblepharon palpebratum
English name：Eyelight fish

The eyelight fish is a nocturnal fish that inhabits shallow waters around the Okinawa islands as well as coastal areas of the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean. It has large luminous organs under its eyes that emit light through symbiosis with luminescent bacteria. It can flash this light by covering the luminous organ with a shutter-like black lid. This is a different method to the splitfin flashlightfish which rotates its luminous organ inwards to hide the light. Species in the flashlightfish family flash their lights when feeding, to avoid being preyed upon, and to communicate. 

In July 2024, our staff with the help of local fisherman and divers, surveyed a sea cavern at a depth of 30 meters, near Okinawa Main Island. After setting up an ultra-high sensitive camera to observe the surroundings of the cavern, we successfully recorded a school of over 20 eyelight fish that swam out from the cavern around an hour after sunset. 

In 2013, an eyelight fish was caught in Okinawa. This was the first record of the species living in Japanese waters. The survey confirmed this species is very sensitive to light and is difficult to find during the day. It often swims at night in groups of two or three. 
Two individuals that were collected during the survey are now on exhibit at our facility (the first time in Japan).
Take a look at the footage from the survey, you can see light emitting from this species in the seafloor cavern.  
 

Place of exhibit

Ocean Planetarium

Number of exhibit

2 individuals

Exhibit duration

July 22nd 2024～
*Exhibit may close depending on the condition of the animals.