The response of tropical Atlantic decapod crustaceans to artificially lighted trawls

Micronektonic decapod crustaceans were sampled repeatedly ata depth of 200 ± 25 m at two positions centred on 20°30'N,19°40'W and 31°10'N, 21°05'W to assess their responseto an artificial light fitted to an opening/closing rectangularmidwater trawl. Of the 20 decapod species identified, the numbersand biomass of the three numerically dominant diel migrantsOplophorus spinostu, Sysiellaspis debilis and Acanthephyra purpureawere significantly reduced in hauls taken with the artificiallight switched on, when compared with catches with it switchedoff. There was little measurable response in the frequentlyoccurring species Gennadas valens or Gennadas brevirostris,or in other less frequently occurring species.