Defense Date

12-5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science

Degree Name

Marine Science

First Advisor

Rosanna J. Milligan, Ph.D

Second Advisor

Tamara Frank, Ph.D

Third Advisor

Matthew W. Johnston, Ph.D

Keywords

moonlit, generalized additive model, lunar phase, mesopelagic, migration, moon

Abstract

Hygophum taaningi (Myctophidae) likely undertakes lunar vertical migration (LVM), an asynchronous migration, but there is a lack of literature supporting this behavior in the northern Gulf of Mexico basin. The aim of this study was to assess how effective modeled lunar phase and lunar light intensity are at predicting standardized counts of H. taaningi in the northern Gulf. The R package moonlit was used to provide retroactive calculations of lunar phase and lunar light intensity for standardized count data from the Offshore Nekton Sampling and Analysis Program (ONSAP). A generalized additive model (GAM) was used to investigate the relationship between H. taaningi standardized counts, and lunar phase and lunar light intensity at lower mesopelagic and epipelagic depths. Results supported LVM behavior in H. taaningi with a strong response to both lunar phase and lunar light intensity in lower mesopelagic models, and marginal responses to lunar phase in epipelagic models.

ORCID ID

https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8291-5020

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