Not to be confused with Lophiiformes anglerfish (some of which have "lanterns" on their foreheads).
Lanternfish
Temporal range: Paleocene–Recent
PreꞒ
Ꞓ
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Putative Maastrichtian records[1][2]
Myctophum punctatum
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Myctophiformes
Family:
Myctophidae T. N. Gill, 1893
Genera
See text
Lanternfish (or myctophids, from the Greek μυκτήρ myktḗr, "nose" and ophis, "serpent") are small mesopelagic fish of the large family Myctophidae. One of two families in the order Myctophiformes, the Myctophidae are represented by 246 species in 33 genera, and are found in oceans worldwide. Lanternfishes are aptly named after their conspicuous use of bioluminescence. Their sister family, the Neoscopelidae, are much fewer in number but superficially very similar; at least one neoscopelid shares the common name "lanternfish": the large-scaled lantern fish, Neoscopelus macrolepidotus.
Lanternfish are among the most widely distributed, diverse and populous vertebrates, with some estimates suggesting that they may have a total global biomass of 1.8 to 16 gigatonnes, accounting for up to 65% of all deep-sea fish biomass. Commercial fisheries for them exist off South Africa, in the sub-Antarctic, and in the Gulf of Oman.
^Ueno, T.; Matsui, N. (1993). "Late Cretaceous fish fossils from Nemuro, Hokkaido, Japan". Memoirs of the National Science Museum, Tokyo. 26: 39–46.
^Cite error: The named reference Schwarzhans2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
Lanternfish (or myctophids, from the Greek μυκτήρ myktḗr, "nose" and ophis, "serpent") are small mesopelagic fish of the large family Myctophidae. One...
Dasyscopelus spinosus, the spiny lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish. It occurs in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. It can grow to 9 cm (3...
Diaphus diadematus, the crown lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found worldwide. This species reaches a length of 4.2 cm (1.7 in). Paxton, J.R....
Diaphus mollis, the soft lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. This species reaches a length of 6.6 cm (2.6 in)...
Diaphus parri, also known as Parr's lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found worldwide. This species reaches a length of 6.5 cm (2.6 in). The fish...
Diaphus jenseni, also known as Jensen's lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found in the Indo-Pacific, the south-eastern Atlantic Ocean and the South...
Diaphus garmani, also known as Garman's lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found worldwide. This species reaches a length of 6.0 cm (2.4 in). The...
Diaphus kapalae, the Kapala lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The fish is named in honor of the fisheries...
Dasyscopelus selenops, the Wisner's lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish. It occurs in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. It can grow to 7.5 cm...
Diaphus thiollierei, also known as Thiolliere's lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found in the Indo-Pacific. This species reaches a length of 10...
Diaphus luetkeni, also known as Luetken's lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found worldwide. This species reaches a length of 6.0 cm (2.4 in). The...
Diaphus problematicus, the problematic lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found worldwide. This species reaches a length of 10.5 cm (4.1 in). Hulley...
Diaphus bertelseni, or Bertelsen's lanternfish, is a species of oceanodromous lanternfish, first described in 1966 by Basil Nafpaktitis. The species epithet...
Diaphus splendidus, the horned lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found worldwide. This species reaches a length of 9.0 cm (3.5 in). Hulley, P. (2015)...
Myctophum orientale, the Oriental lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish. The Oriental Lanternfish is native to deep waters. "WoRMS - World Register...
The longfin lanternfish (Diogenichthys atlanticus) is a species of oceanodromous lanternfish that is oviparous, and a host of Sarcotretes scopeli. It is...
Diaphus lucidus, the spotlight lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found worldwide. This species reaches a length of 11.8 cm (4.6 in). Hulley, P....
Diaphus antonbruuni, also known as Bruun’s lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found in the Indian Ocean. This species reaches a length of 5.5 cm...
Diaphus malayanus, the Malayan lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found in the western Pacific Ocean. This species reaches a length of 4.5 cm (1...
Diaphus dumerilii, also known as Dumeril's lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. This species reaches a length...
Diaphus regani, also known as Regan's lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. This species reaches a length of...
Diaphus danae, also known as Dana lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. This species reaches a length of 12...
Diaphus meadi, also known as Mead's lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish that is found almost worldwide. This species reaches a length of 5.4 cm (2...
Diaphus impostor, the imposter lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found in the western-central Pacific Ocean. The epithet impostor refers to the...
Lampanyctus crocodilus, the jewel lanternfish, is a lanternfish of the family Myctophidae, found in the west Mediterranean Sea and the north Atlantic...
Diaphus signatus, the small lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. This species reaches a length of 4.0 cm (1.6 in)...
Diaphus ostenfeldi, also known as Ostenfeld's lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found worldwide. This species reaches a length of 12.0 cm (4.7 in)...
Diaphus watasei, also known as Watases lanternfish, is a species of lanternfish found in the Indo-west Pacific. This species reaches a length of 17.0 cm...
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