Trait matrix of micronektonic fishes in the northeast Atlantic

Description This dataset contains a species-level trait matrix for adult micronektonic fishes, compiled to support analyses of the taxonomic and functional diversity of pelagic and deep-sea fish assemblages. The matrix was compiled for the fish species identified from the trawl catches conducted during the APERO cruise from the surface to 1300 meters depth (https://doi.org/10.17600/18000666) and is intended to support analyses of the taxonomic and functional diversity of micronektonic fish assemblages. The trait matrix integrates taxonomic, ecological, morphological, behavioural, and physiological information obtained from FishBase, published literature, identification guides, and existing trait databases. Taxonomic information includes class, order, family, genus, and species. Ecological traits include global depth distribution, day and night depth ranges, temperature range, diet guild, trophic position, vertical migration pattern, and resilience. Morphological and functional traits include maximum body length, body shape, eye shape, dentition type, swimming mode, swimbladder type, and body colour. Traits related to bioluminescence include the presence or absence of bioluminescence, photophores, and bioluminescent lures. For species with available information, the dataset also includes the wavelength of maximum visual sensitivity (λmax, nm). All trait values included in the matrix refer to the adult life stage. Trait-specific references are provided alongside the corresponding variables whenever applicable, allowing the provenance of individual trait assignments to be traced. An additional reference sheet provides definitions and general data sources for the traits, together with the bibliographic references used in compiling the dataset. The workbook contains three sheets: “3_traits_species_na_apero”, containing the main species-by-trait matrix; “References”, containing trait definitions, general data sources, and bibliographic references; and “species_depths_apero”, containing species depth-distribution information, including minimum and maximum occurrence depths and, when available, depths of greatest abundance during the day and night from trawl catches of the APERO cruise. Missing values indicate that information was unavailable or could not be reliably assigned from the consulted sources. The dataset was assembled for trait-based analyses of micronektonic fish communities and can be used to investigate patterns of functional diversity, functional composition, ecological strategies, and vertical habitat use in pelagic and deep-sea ecosystems.