WoRMS taxon details
Myctophidae Gill, 1893
- Subfamily Diaphinae Paxton, 1972
- Genus Diaphus Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1890
- Genus Idiolychnus Nafpaktitis & Paxton, 1978
- Genus Lobianchia Gatti, 1904
- Genus Nyctophus Cocco, 1829 (uncertain > taxon inquirendum)
- Genus Aethoprora Goode & Bean, 1896 accepted as Diaphus Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1890 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
- Genus Lebianchia Gatti, 1904 accepted as Lobianchia Gatti, 1904 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Genus Lobiancha Gatti, 1904 accepted as Lobianchia Gatti, 1904 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Subfamily Eomyctophinae Prokofiev, 2006 †
- Subfamily Gymnoscopelinae Paxton, 1972
- Genus Gymnoscopelus Günther, 1873
- Genus Hintonia Fraser-Brunner, 1949
- Genus Lampanyctodes Fraser-Brunner, 1949
- Genus Lampichthys Fraser-Brunner, 1949
- Genus Macrostoma Risso, 1827
- Genus Notoscopelus Günther, 1864
- Genus Scopelopsis Brauer, 1906
- Genus Nasolychnus Smith, 1933 accepted as Gymnoscopelus Günther, 1873 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
- Genus Notoscopellus Günther, 1864 accepted as Notoscopelus Günther, 1864 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Subfamily Lampanyctinae Paxton, 1972
- Genus Bolinichthys Paxton, 1972
- Genus Ceratoscopelus Günther, 1864
- Genus Lampadena Goode & Bean, 1893
- Genus Lampanyctus Bonaparte, 1840
- Genus Lepidophanes Fraser-Brunner, 1949
- Genus Parvilux Hubbs & Wisner, 1964
- Genus Stenobrachius Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1890
- Genus Taaningichthys Bolin, 1959
- Genus Triphoturus Fraser-Brunner, 1949
- Genus Collettia Goode & Bean, 1896 accepted as Diaphus Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1890 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
- Genus Dorsadena Coleman & Nafpaktitis, 1972 accepted as Lampadena Goode & Bean, 1893 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
- Genus Lampanctus Bonaparte, 1840 accepted as Lampanyctus Bonaparte, 1840 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Genus Lampanictus Bonaparte, 1840 accepted as Lampanyctus Bonaparte, 1840 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Genus Lampedena Goode & Bean, 1893 accepted as Lampadena Goode & Bean, 1893 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Genus Nannobrachium Günther, 1887 accepted as Lampanyctus Bonaparte, 1840 (unaccepted > junior objective synonym)
- Genus Nanobrachium Günther, 1887 accepted as Nannobrachium Günther, 1887 accepted as Lampanyctus Bonaparte, 1840 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Genus Paralampanyctus Kotthaus, 1972 accepted as Nannobrachium Günther, 1887 accepted as Lampanyctus Bonaparte, 1840 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
- Genus Serpa Whitley, 1933 accepted as Lampanyctus Bonaparte, 1840 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym, Latinisation of Serpe of Risso (1810) and Cloquet (1829))
- Genus Serpe Cloquet, 1829 accepted as Lampanyctus Bonaparte, 1840 (unaccepted > unavailable name, vernacular name in Risso (1810) and Cloquet (1829))
- Genus Triphotorus Fraser-Brunner, 1949 accepted as Triphoturus Fraser-Brunner, 1949 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Subfamily Myctophinae Gill, 1893
- Genus Antimyctophum Schwarzhans, 2019 †
- Genus Benthosema Goode & Bean, 1896
- Genus Centrobranchus Fowler, 1904
- Genus Ctenoscopelus Fraser-Brunner, 1949
- Genus Dasyscopelus Günther, 1864
- Genus Diogenichthys Bolin, 1939
- Genus Electrona Goode & Bean, 1896
- Genus Gonichthys Gistel, 1850
- Genus Hygophum Bolin, 1939
- Genus Krefftichthys Hulley, 1981
- Genus Loweina Fowler, 1925
- Genus Metelectrona Wisner, 1963
- Genus Myctophum Rafinesque, 1810
- Genus Protomyctophum Fraser-Brunner, 1949
- Genus Symbolophorus Bolin & Wisner, 1959
- Genus Tarletonbeania Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1890
- Genus Alysia Lowe, 1839 accepted as Gonichthys Gistel, 1850 (unaccepted > junior homonym)
- Genus Benthosoma Goode & Bean, 1896 accepted as Benthosema Goode & Bean, 1896 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Genus Bentosema Goode & Bean, 1896 accepted as Benthosema Goode & Bean, 1896 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Genus Diogenichthye Bolin, 1939 accepted as Diogenichthys Bolin, 1939 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Genus Diogenys Bolin, 1939 accepted as Diogenichthys Bolin, 1939 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling, lapsus calami)
- Genus Hierops Fraser-Brunner, 1949 accepted as Protomyctophum Fraser-Brunner, 1949
- Genus Hygophym Bolin, 1939 accepted as Hygophum Bolin, 1939 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Genus Mychtophum Rafinesque, 1810 accepted as Myctophum Rafinesque, 1810 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Genus Myctoophum Rafinesque, 1810 accepted as Myctophum Rafinesque, 1810 (unaccepted > misspelling - incorrect subsequent spelling)
- Genus Rhinoscopelus Lütken, 1892 accepted as Gonichthys Gistel, 1850
- Genus Scopelus Cuvier, 1816 accepted as Myctophum Rafinesque, 1810 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
- Subfamily Notolychninae Paxton, 1972
- Genus Notolychnus Fraser-Brunner, 1949
- Genus Vestula Bolin, 1946 accepted as Notolychnus Fraser-Brunner, 1949 (unaccepted > junior subjective synonym)
marine, brackish, fresh, terrestrial
Not documented
Distribution Distribution: circumglobal. Some with small supramaxilla. With subocular shelf. Anal fin origin below or slightly behind...
Distribution Distribution: circumglobal. Some with small supramaxilla. With subocular shelf. Anal fin origin below or slightly behind dorsal fin base. Head and body with groups and rows of small photophores; one species without. Scales cycloid; ctenoid in 4 species. Swim bladder usually present. Vertebrae 28-45. Heavily preyed upon by many marine fishes and mammals. Diurnal migration exhibited by many: most species with peak abundance between 300 and 1200 m by day and between 10 and 100 m at night. [details]
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. (2025). FishBase. Myctophidae Gill, 1893. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=125498 on 2025-12-08
Date
action
by
The webpage text is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution 4.0 License
Nomenclature
basis of record
van der Land, J.; Costello, M.J.; Zavodnik, D.; Santos, R.S.; Porteiro, F.M.; Bailly, N.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Froese, R. (2001). Pisces, <B><I>in</I></B>: Costello, M.J. <i>et al.</i> (Ed.) (2001). <i>European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels,</i> 50: pp. 357-374 (look up in IMIS) [details]
Taxonomy
taxonomy source
Van Der Laan, R.; Eschmeyer, W. N.; Fricke, R. (2014). Family-group names of Recent fishes. <em>Zootaxa.</em> 3882(1): 1-230., available online at https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3882.1.1 [details] Available for editors 
[request]
[request]Other
context source (PeRMS)
Chirichigno, N.; Cornejo, M. (2001). Catálogo comentado de los peces marinos del Perú. <em>2ª ed. Instituto del Mar de Perú. Publicación Especial. Callao.</em> 314 p. [details]
additional source Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W. N. & Van der Laan, R. (eds). (2025). ECoF. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Genera, Species, References. <em>California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco.</em> Electronic version accessed dd mmm 2025., available online at http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/Ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp [details]
additional source Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W. N. & Van der Laan, R. (eds). (2025). ECoF. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Genera, Species, References. <em>California Academy of Sciences. San Francisco.</em> Electronic version accessed dd mmm 2025., available online at http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/Ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp [details]
Present Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
Unreviewed
Distribution Distribution: circumglobal. Some with small supramaxilla. With subocular shelf. Anal fin origin below or slightly behind dorsal fin base. Head and body with groups and rows of small photophores; one species without. Scales cycloid; ctenoid in 4 species. Swim bladder usually present. Vertebrae 28-45. Heavily preyed upon by many marine fishes and mammals. Diurnal migration exhibited by many: most species with peak abundance between 300 and 1200 m by day and between 10 and 100 m at night. [details]
| Language | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| English | lanternfishes | [details] |
| French | poissons-lanternes | [details] |
| Japanese | ハダカイワシ科 | [details] |
| Norwegian Bokmål | lysprikkfiskfamilien | [details] |
| Norwegian Nynorsk | lysprikkfiskfamilien | [details] |
| Spanish | linternillas | [details] |
| Swedish | prickfiskar | [details] |
To Biological Information System for Marine Life (BISMaL)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Myctophidae)
To Genbank
To NMNH Extant Collection (Myctophidae USNM 424689 photograph lateral view)
To NMNH Extant Collection (Myctophidae USNM 424797 photograph lateral view)
To ITIS
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Myctophidae)
To Genbank
To NMNH Extant Collection (Myctophidae USNM 424689 photograph lateral view)
To NMNH Extant Collection (Myctophidae USNM 424797 photograph lateral view)
To ITIS
Unreviewed
Hosted externally
Hosted externally
