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Fish Identification: Find Species


Family: Myctophidae Lanternfishes
Subfamily: Myctophinae


(See list of species below)


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78 species (see list below)
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Photo by SFSA

Indian Ocean
Max. Length 10 cm TL
Benthosema fibulatum (Gilbert & Cramer, 1897)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Benthosema fibulatum
[Spinycheek lanternfish]

Photo by Svensen, R.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 10.3 cm SL
Benthosema glaciale (Reinhardt, 1837)

Photo by Photo by Svensen, R.
 
Benthosema glaciale
[Glacier lantern fish]
No picture found

Max. Length 5.5 cm TL
 
Benthosema panamense
[Panama lanternfish]

Photo by Devarapalli, P.

Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 7 cm TL
Benthosema pterotum (Alcock, 1890)

Photo by Photo by Devarapalli, P.
 
Benthosema pterotum
[Skinnycheek lanternfish]

Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada

Circumglobal in tropical
Max. Length 3.9 cm SL
Benthosema suborbitale (Gilbert, 1913)

Photo by Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada
 
Benthosema suborbitale
[Smallfin lanternfish]
No picture found

Max. Length 6.5 cm SL
 
Centrobranchus andreae
[Andre's lanternfish]
No picture found

Max. Length 4 cm SL
 
Centrobranchus brevirostris
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 4 cm SL
 
Centrobranchus choerocephalus
[]

Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 5 cm SL
Centrobranchus nigroocellatus (Günther, 1873)

Photo by Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada
 
Centrobranchus nigroocellatus
[Roundnose lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Southeast Atlantic
Max. Length 9.3 cm SL
Ctenoscopelus phengodes (Lütken, 1892)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Ctenoscopelus phengodes
[Bright lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 8.5 cm TL
Dasyscopelus asper (Richardson, 1845)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Dasyscopelus asper
[Prickly lanternfish]

Photo by Shao, K.T.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 9 cm TL
Dasyscopelus obtusirostris (Tåning, 1928)

Photo by Photo by Shao, K.T.
 
Dasyscopelus obtusirostris
[Bluntsnout lanternfish]

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 7.5 cm TL
Dasyscopelus selenops (Tåning, 1928)

Photo by Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory
 
Dasyscopelus selenops
[Wisner's lantern fish]

Photo by SFSA

Atlantic, Indian and Paci
Max. Length 9 cm SL
Dasyscopelus spinosus (Steindachner, 1867)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Dasyscopelus spinosus
[Spiny lantern fish]

Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada

Atlantic Ocean
Max. Length 2.9 cm SL
Diogenichthys atlanticus (Tåning, 1928)

Photo by Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada
 
Diogenichthys atlanticus
[Longfin lanternfish]
No picture found

Max. Length 5 cm TL
 
Diogenichthys laternatus
[Diogenes lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Indian Ocean
Max. Length 2.3 cm SL
Diogenichthys panurgus Bolin, 1946

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Diogenichthys panurgus
[]

Photo by SFSA

Circumpolar south of Anta
Max. Length 11.5 cm SL
Electrona antarctica (Günther, 1878)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Electrona antarctica
[Antarctic lanternfish]

Photo by Colombo, G.L.A.

Circumglobal between the
Max. Length 11.2 cm SL
Electrona carlsbergi (Tåning, 1932)

Photo by Photo by Colombo, G.L.A.
 
Electrona carlsbergi
[Electron subantarctic]

Photo by SFSA

Circumglobal in region of
Max. Length 7 cm SL
Electrona paucirastra Bolin, 1962

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Electrona paucirastra
[Belted lanternfish]

Photo by Orlov, A.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 8.4 cm SL
Electrona risso (Cocco, 1829)

Photo by Photo by Orlov, A.
 
Electrona risso
[Electric lantern fish]

Photo by SFSA

Circumglobal between the
Max. Length 12.7 cm SL
Electrona subaspera (Günther, 1864)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Electrona subaspera
[Rough lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Subtropical convergence s
Max. Length 5 cm SL
Gonichthys barnesi Whitley, 1943

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Gonichthys barnesi
[Barne's lanternfish]

Photo by Costa, F.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 6 cm SL
Gonichthys cocco (Cocco, 1829)

Photo by Photo by Costa, F.
 
Gonichthys cocco
[Cocco’s lanternfish]

Photo by Van Noord, J.E.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 5 cm TL
Gonichthys tenuiculus (Garman, 1899)

Photo by Photo by Van Noord, J.E.
 
Gonichthys tenuiculus
[Slendertail lanternfish]
No picture found
 
Gonichthys venetus
[]

Photo by Briones-Mendoza, J.

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 6 cm TL
Hygophum atratum (Garman, 1899)

Photo by Photo by Briones-Mendoza, J.
 
Hygophum atratum
[Thickhead lanternfish]

Photo by Costa, F.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 7.8 cm TL
Hygophum benoiti (Cocco, 1838)

Photo by Photo by Costa, F.
 
Hygophum benoiti
[Benoit's lanternfish]
No picture found
 
Hygophum bruuni
[]

Photo by SFSA

Convergence species in al
Max. Length 6.7 cm SL
Hygophum hanseni (Tåning, 1932)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Hygophum hanseni
[Hansen's lanternfish]

Photo by Fischer, L.G.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 8.1 cm TL
Hygophum hygomii (Lütken, 1892)

Photo by Photo by Fischer, L.G.
 
Hygophum hygomii
[Bermuda lantern fish]
No picture found

Max. Length 6 cm SL
 
Hygophum macrochir
[Large-finned lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Indian and Pacific
Max. Length 5 cm SL
Hygophum proximum Becker, 1965

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Hygophum proximum
[Firefly lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 6 cm SL
Hygophum reinhardtii (Lütken, 1892)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Hygophum reinhardtii
[Reinhardt's lantern fish]

Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada

Atlantic Ocean
Max. Length 6.6 cm SL
Hygophum taaningi Becker, 1965

Photo by Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada
 
Hygophum taaningi
[Tåning’s lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Ranges from the Antarctic
Max. Length 7.1 cm SL
Krefftichthys anderssoni (Lönnberg, 1905)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Krefftichthys anderssoni
[Rhombic lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Bitemperate in Atlantic a
Max. Length 3.9 cm SL
Loweina interrupta (Tåning, 1928)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Loweina interrupta
[]

Photo by SFSA

Atlantic Ocean
Max. Length 4.5 cm SL
Loweina rara (Lütken, 1892)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Loweina rara
[Laura's lantern fish]
No picture found

Max. Length 3 cm SL
 
Loweina terminata
[]
No picture found
 
Metelectrona ahlstromi
[]

Photo by SFSA

Circumglobal convergence
Max. Length 5.5 cm SL
Metelectrona herwigi Hulley, 1981

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Metelectrona herwigi
[Herwig lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Circumglobal. In the Sou
Max. Length 10.7 cm SL
Metelectrona ventralis (Becker, 1963)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Metelectrona ventralis
[Flaccid lanternfish]

Photo by Dolgov, A.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 7.9 cm SL
Myctophum affine (Lütken, 1892)

Photo by Photo by Dolgov, A.
 
Myctophum affine
[Metallic lantern fish]

Photo by Ernst, J.

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 11 cm SL
Myctophum aurolaternatum Garman, 1899

Photo by Photo by Ernst, J.
 
Myctophum aurolaternatum
[Golden lanternfish]
No picture found
 
Myctophum brachygnathum
[Short-jawed lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 7 cm SL
Myctophum fissunovi Becker & Borodulina, 1971

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Myctophum fissunovi
[]
No picture found
 
Myctophum indicum
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 5.7 cm SL
 
Myctophum lunatum
[]
No picture found

Max. Length 3.8 cm SL
 
Myctophum lychnobium
[]

Photo by JAMARC

Circumglobal (Ref. 7300)
Max. Length 8.3 cm SL
Myctophum nitidulum Garman, 1899

Photo by Photo by JAMARC
 
Myctophum nitidulum
[Pearly lanternfish]
No picture found
 
Myctophum orientale
[Oriental lanternfish]
No picture found

Max. Length 7.2 cm SL
 
Myctophum ovcharovi
[]

Photo by Orlov, A.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 11 cm SL
Myctophum punctatum Rafinesque, 1810

Photo by Photo by Orlov, A.
 
Myctophum punctatum
[Spotted lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Generally circumglobal be
Max. Length 6 cm SL
Protomyctophum andriashevi Becker, 1963

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Protomyctophum andriashevi
[Andriashev’s lanternfish]

Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada

Arctic to Atlantic Ocean
Max. Length 6 cm SL
Protomyctophum arcticum (Lütken, 1892)

Photo by Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada
 
Protomyctophum arcticum
[Arctic telescope]
No picture found

Max. Length 3.5 cm SL
 
Protomyctophum beckeri
[]

Photo by SFSA

Circumpolar between Antar
Max. Length 6.7 cm SL
Protomyctophum bolini (Fraser-Brunner, 1949)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Protomyctophum bolini
[Bolin’s lanternfish]
No picture found
 
Protomyctophum chilense
[]

Photo by SFSA

Generally, circumglobal b
Max. Length 9.5 cm SL
Protomyctophum choriodon Hulley, 1981

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Protomyctophum choriodon
[Gaptooth lanternfish]

Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada

Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 3.7 cm SL
Protomyctophum crockeri (Bolin, 1939)

Photo by Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada
 
Protomyctophum crockeri
[California flashlightfish]

Photo by Colombo, G.L.A.

Probably circumglobal in
Max. Length 8.6 cm SL
Protomyctophum gemmatum Hulley, 1981

Photo by Photo by Colombo, G.L.A.
 
Protomyctophum gemmatum
[Jewelled lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Probably circumglobal in
Max. Length 6.1 cm SL
Protomyctophum luciferum Hulley, 1981

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Protomyctophum luciferum
[Damsel lanternfish]
No picture found
 
Protomyctophum mcginnisi
[]

Photo by SFSA

Circumglobal between 36°
Max. Length 5.6 cm SL
Protomyctophum normani (Tåning, 1932)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Protomyctophum normani
[Norman's lanterrnfish]

Photo by SFSA

Circumglobal between the
Max. Length 5 cm SL
Protomyctophum parallelum (Lönnberg, 1905)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Protomyctophum parallelum
[Parallel lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Circumglobal in region of
Max. Length 3.6 cm SL
Protomyctophum subparallelum (Tåning, 1932)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Protomyctophum subparallelum
[Subparallel lanternfish]

Photo by Colombo, G.L.A.

Circumglobal between the
Max. Length 5.4 cm SL
Protomyctophum tenisoni (Norman, 1930)

Photo by Photo by Colombo, G.L.A.
 
Protomyctophum tenisoni
[Tenison’s lanternfish]
No picture found

Max. Length 5.2 cm SL
 
Protomyctophum thompsoni
[Bigeye lanternfish]

Photo by Fischer, L.G.

Circumglobal in the south
Max. Length 11.6 cm SL
Symbolophorus barnardi (Tåning, 1932)

Photo by Photo by Fischer, L.G.
 
Symbolophorus barnardi
[Barnards lanternfishes]

Photo by SFSA

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 16 cm TL
Symbolophorus boops (Richardson, 1845)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Symbolophorus boops
[Bogue lanternfish]

Photo by Van Noord, J.E.

North Pacific
Max. Length 11 cm SL
Symbolophorus californiensis (Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889)

Photo by Photo by Van Noord, J.E.
 
Symbolophorus californiensis
[Bigfin lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 11.7 cm TL
Symbolophorus evermanni (Gilbert, 1905)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Symbolophorus evermanni
[Evermann's lantern fish]
No picture found

Max. Length 11.2 cm SL
 
Symbolophorus kreffti
[]

Photo by Van Noord, J.E.

Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 8.9 cm SL
Symbolophorus reversus Gago & Ricord, 2005

Photo by Photo by Van Noord, J.E.
 
Symbolophorus reversus
[Reverse gland lanternfish]

Photo by SFSA

Western Atlantic
Max. Length 9.4 cm SL
Symbolophorus rufinus (Tåning, 1928)

Photo by Photo by SFSA
 
Symbolophorus rufinus
[]

Photo by Costa, F.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 12.5 cm TL
Symbolophorus veranyi (Moreau, 1888)

Photo by Photo by Costa, F.
 
Symbolophorus veranyi
[Large-scale lantern fish]

Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada

Eastern Pacific
Max. Length 12.7 cm TL
Tarletonbeania crenularis (Jordan & Gilbert, 1880)

Photo by Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada
 
Tarletonbeania crenularis
[Blue lanternfish]

Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada

North Pacific
Max. Length 7 cm SL
Tarletonbeania taylori Mead, 1953

Photo by Photo by Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, Canada
 
Tarletonbeania taylori
[North Pacific lanternfish]


Sort by: Species Length Year
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Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm) Year
Benthosema fibulatum Spinycheek lanternfish Indian Ocean 10 TL 1897
Benthosema glaciale Glacier lantern fish Eastern Atlantic 10.3 SL 1837
Benthosema panamense Panama lanternfish Northeast Pacific 5.5 TL 1932
Benthosema pterotum Skinnycheek lanternfish Indo-West Pacific 7 TL 1890
Benthosema suborbitale Smallfin lanternfish Circumglobal in tropical 3.9 SL 1913
Centrobranchus andreae Andre's lanternfish Indo-Pacific. South China 6.5 SL 1892
Centrobranchus brevirostris Northwest Pacific 4 SL 1964
Centrobranchus choerocephalus Pacific Ocean 4 SL 1904
Centrobranchus nigroocellatus Roundnose lanternfish Eastern Atlantic 5 SL 1873
Ctenoscopelus phengodes Bright lanternfish Southeast Atlantic 9.3 SL 1892
Dasyscopelus asper Prickly lanternfish Western Atlantic 8.5 TL 1845
Dasyscopelus obtusirostris Bluntsnout lanternfish Eastern Atlantic 9 TL 1928
Dasyscopelus selenops Wisner's lantern fish Eastern Atlantic 7.5 TL 1928
Dasyscopelus spinosus Spiny lantern fish Atlantic, Indian and Paci 9 SL 1867
Diogenichthys atlanticus Longfin lanternfish Atlantic Ocean 2.9 SL 1928
Diogenichthys laternatus Diogenes lanternfish Pacific 5 TL 1899
Diogenichthys panurgus Indian Ocean 2.3 SL 1946
Electrona antarctica Antarctic lanternfish Circumpolar south of Anta 11.5 SL 1878
Electrona carlsbergi Electron subantarctic Circumglobal between the 11.2 SL 1932
Electrona paucirastra Belted lanternfish Circumglobal in region of 7 SL 1962
Electrona risso Electric lantern fish Eastern Atlantic 8.4 SL 1829
Electrona subaspera Rough lanternfish Circumglobal between the 12.7 SL 1864
Gonichthys barnesi Barne's lanternfish Subtropical convergence s 5 SL 1943
Gonichthys cocco Cocco’s lanternfish Eastern Atlantic 6 SL 1829
Gonichthys tenuiculus Slendertail lanternfish Eastern Pacific 5 TL 1899
Gonichthys venetus Southeast Pacific 1964
Hygophum atratum Thickhead lanternfish Eastern Pacific 6 TL 1899
Hygophum benoiti Benoit's lanternfish Eastern Atlantic 7.8 TL 1838
Hygophum bruuni Southeast Pacific 1971
Hygophum hanseni Hansen's lanternfish Convergence species in al 6.7 SL 1932
Hygophum hygomii Bermuda lantern fish Eastern Atlantic 8.1 TL 1892
Hygophum macrochir Large-finned lanternfish Atlantic Ocean 6 SL 1864
Hygophum proximum Firefly lanternfish Indian and Pacific 5 SL 1965
Hygophum reinhardtii Reinhardt's lantern fish Eastern Atlantic 6 SL 1892
Hygophum taaningi Tåning’s lanternfish Atlantic Ocean 6.6 SL 1965
Krefftichthys anderssoni Rhombic lanternfish Ranges from the Antarctic 7.1 SL 1905
Loweina interrupta Bitemperate in Atlantic a 3.9 SL 1928
Loweina rara Laura's lantern fish Atlantic Ocean 4.5 SL 1892
Loweina terminata Northwest (Ref. 41299) an 3 SL 1964
Metelectrona ahlstromi Southeast Pacific 1963
Metelectrona herwigi Herwig lanternfish Circumglobal convergence 5.5 SL 1981
Metelectrona ventralis Flaccid lanternfish Circumglobal. In the Sou 10.7 SL 1963
Myctophum affine Metallic lantern fish Eastern Atlantic 7.9 SL 1892
Myctophum aurolaternatum Golden lanternfish Western Indian Ocean 11 SL 1899
Myctophum brachygnathum Short-jawed lanternfish Western Central Pacific 1856
Myctophum fissunovi Western Indian Ocean 7 SL 1971
Myctophum indicum Indian Ocean 1877
Myctophum lunatum Indo-West Pacific. 5.7 SL 1978
Myctophum lychnobium Indo-Pacific 3.8 SL 1946
Myctophum nitidulum Pearly lanternfish Circumglobal (Ref. 7300) 8.3 SL 1899
Myctophum orientale Oriental lanternfish Western Pacific. 1913
Myctophum ovcharovi Indian Ocean. Western Ce 7.2 SL 1993
Myctophum punctatum Spotted lanternfish Eastern Atlantic 11 SL 1810
Protomyctophum andriashevi Andriashev’s lanternfish Generally circumglobal be 6 SL 1963
Protomyctophum arcticum Arctic telescope Arctic to Atlantic Ocean 6 SL 1892
Protomyctophum beckeri Eastern Central Pacific 3.5 SL 1971
Protomyctophum bolini Bolin’s lanternfish Circumpolar between Antar 6.7 SL 1949
Protomyctophum chilense Southeast Pacific 1971
Protomyctophum choriodon Gaptooth lanternfish Generally, circumglobal b 9.5 SL 1981
Protomyctophum crockeri California flashlightfish Northwest Pacific 3.7 SL 1939
Protomyctophum gemmatum Jewelled lanternfish Probably circumglobal in 8.6 SL 1981
Protomyctophum luciferum Damsel lanternfish Probably circumglobal in 6.1 SL 1981
Protomyctophum mcginnisi Atlantic 2004
Protomyctophum normani Norman's lanterrnfish Circumglobal between 36° 5.6 SL 1932
Protomyctophum parallelum Parallel lanternfish Circumglobal between the 5 SL 1905
Protomyctophum subparallelum Subparallel lanternfish Circumglobal in region of 3.6 SL 1932
Protomyctophum tenisoni Tenison’s lanternfish Circumglobal between the 5.4 SL 1930
Protomyctophum thompsoni Bigeye lanternfish North Pacific 5.2 SL 1944
Symbolophorus barnardi Barnards lanternfishes Circumglobal in the south 11.6 SL 1932
Symbolophorus boops Bogue lanternfish Eastern Atlantic 16 TL 1845
Symbolophorus californiensis Bigfin lanternfish North Pacific 11 SL 1889
Symbolophorus evermanni Evermann's lantern fish Indo-Pacific 11.7 TL 1905
Symbolophorus kreffti Eastern Atlantic 11.2 SL 1981
Symbolophorus reversus Reverse gland lanternfish Eastern Central Pacific 8.9 SL 2005
Symbolophorus rufinus Western Atlantic 9.4 SL 1928
Symbolophorus veranyi Large-scale lantern fish Eastern Atlantic 12.5 TL 1888
Tarletonbeania crenularis Blue lanternfish Eastern Pacific 12.7 TL 1880
Tarletonbeania taylori North Pacific lanternfish North Pacific 7 SL 1953



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