Updated 30 April 2025
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Luminous Lanternfishes
Subfamily GYMNOSCOPELINAE Paxton 1972
Gymnoscopelus Günther 1873 gymnós (Gr. γυμνός), bare or naked, referring to “naked” (translation, i.e., scaleless) body of G. aphya; Scopelus, junior synonym of Myctophum, an old name of some large-eyed fish, from skopós (Gr. σκοπός), looker, historically applied to lanternfishes and other pelagic or deep-sea fishes with large eyes
Subgenus Gymnoscopelus
Gymnoscopelus bolini Andriashev 1962 in honor of American ichthyologist Rolf Bolin (1901–1973), Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, whose 1959 paper on myctophids of the North Atlantic “contains numerous highly valuable new conclusions” on the taxonomy of many genera “merits special attention” (translations)
Gymnoscopelus braueri (Lönnberg 1905) in honor of Brauer’s friend, German zoologist August Brauer (1863–1917), Berlin Zoological Museum, “whose works have made studying scopelids [lanternfishes] much easier” and who shared his views about this new species in an “amiable” way (translations)
Gymnoscopelus nicholsi (Gilbert 1911) in honor of John Treadwell Nichols (1883–1958), curator of fishes, American Museum of Natural History, who collected holotype [G. aphya Günther 1873, a senior synonym, is considered a nomen oblitum]
Gymnoscopelus opisthopterus Fraser-Brunner 1949 back-finned, from ópisthen (Gr. ὄπισθεν), behind, and pterón (Gr. πτερόν) or ptéryx (Gr. πτέρυξ), wing or fin, referring to its shorter tail, “which gives the dorsal and pelvic fins the appearance of being farther back than in other species of the genus”
Subgenus Nasolychnus Smith 1933 naso (L.), long-nosed; lýchnos (Gr. λύχνος), lamp or lantern, referring to enlarged luminous organs above and below nostrils of Myctophum florentii (=G. piabilis)
Gymnoscopelus fraseri (Fraser-Brunner 1931) in honor of Capt. Hugh Fraser (no other information available), who collected holotype with a net he constructed
Gymnoscopelus hintonoides Hulley 1981 –oides, Neo-Latin from eī́dos (Gr. εἶδος), form or shape: resembling Hintonia candens in general appearance and color
Gymnoscopelus microlampas Hulley 1981 micro-, from mikrós (Gr. μικρός), small; lampás (Gr. λαμπάς), lamp or lantern, referring to its “noticeably small” body photophores
Gymnoscopelus piabilis (Whitley 1931) Latin for to be averted or to be appeased, suggesting something that can be made right, allusion not explained but here’s a guess: referring to the illustration that accompanied the description, based on two specimens in “imperfect condition,” with details from the paratype added to the holotype, so in a sense the specimen was “made right”
Hintonia Fraser-Brunner 1949 –ia (L. suffix), belonging to: Martin Alister Campbell Hinton (1883–1961), Keeper of Zoology, Natural History Museum (London), for “friendly help and encouragement of the most practical kind”
Hintonia candens Fraser-Brunner 1949 Latin for shining or gleaming, presumably a general reference to its luminous organs and photophores
Lampanyctodes Fraser-Brunner 1949 –odes, Neo-Latin from eī́dos (Gr. εἶδος), form or shape: this new genus is “clearly indicative of the form from which Lampanyctus [and other related genera] have derived”
Lampanyctodes hectoris (Günther 1876) –is, Latin genitive singular of: Scottish-born Canadian geologist James Hector (1834–1907), Director, Geological Survey of New Zealand, who presented holotype
Lampichthys Fraser-Brunner 1949 lampás (Gr. λαμπάς), lamp or lantern; ichthýs (Gr. ἰχθύς), fish, i.e., a lanternfish
Lampichthys procerus (Brauer 1904) Latin for high or tall, probably referring to its elongate body
Notoscopelus Günther 1864 nṓtos (Gr. νῶτος), back, proposed as a subgenus of Scopelus with more dorsal-fin rays than anal-fin rays; Scopelus, junior synonym of Myctophum and an old name of some large-eyed fish, from skopós (Gr. σκοπός), looker, historically applied to lanternfishes and other pelagic or deep-sea fishes with large eyes
Notoscopelus caudispinosus (Johnson 1863) cauda (L.), tail; spinosus (L.), thorny, referring to eight small sharp spines on upper edge of tail followed by two larger spines, and nine small spines on lower edge followed by two larger spines
Notoscopelus elongatus (Costa 1844) Latin for prolonged, probably referring to the “very elongated shape” (translation) of its scales
Notoscopelus japonicus (Tanaka 1908) –icus (L.), belonging to: referring to type locality, “in all probability” off Misaki, Sagami Sea, Japan
Notoscopelus kroyeri (Malm 1861) patronym not identified but almost certainly in honor of Danish marine biologist Henrik Nikolai Krøyer (1799–1870) [often incorrectly spelled kroeyeri]
Notoscopelus resplendens (Richardson 1845) Latin for resplendent, “brilliant objects, their large scales being resplendent with prismatic colours”
Notoscopelus (subgenus Pareiophus) Nafpaktitis 1975 pareiá (Gr. παρειά), cheek; ophus, from ophrys (Gr. ὀφρύς), eyebrow, referring to patches of luminous tissue on cheeks and above eyes
Notoscopelus bolini Nafpaktitis 1975 in honor of American ichthyologist Rolf Bolin (1901–1973), Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, who “all but named” this species in his 1959 review of the genus
Scopelopsis Brauer 1906 ópsis (Gr. ὄψις), appearance, referring to how it “agrees in most characters” (translation) with Scopelus, junior synonym of Myctophum and an old name of some large-eyed fish, from skopós (Gr. σκοπός), looker, historically applied to lanternfishes and other pelagic or deep-sea fishes with large eyes
Scopelopsis multipunctatus Brauer 1906 multi– (L.), many; punctatus (L.), spotted, presumably referring to head and body studded with minute photophores
Topside Lanternfish
Subfamily NOTOLYCHNINAE Paxton 1971
Notolychnus Fraser-Brunner 1949 nṓtos (Gr. νῶτος), back; lýchnos (Gr. λύχνος), lamp or lantern, referring to “single deep-set, translucent supracaudal luminous gland before procurrent caudal rays in both sexes,” only on dorsal surface compared with both dorsal and ventral surfaces on the similar Lampadena and Lampanyctus
Notolychnus valdiviae (Brauer 1904) of the Valdivia Expedition (1898– 1899), named for the research vessel Valdivia, the first German expedition to explore the deep sea, during which holotype was collected
Toothy Lampfishes
Subfamily LAMPANYCTINAE Paxton 1972
Bolinichthys Paxton 1972 in honor of American ichthyologist Rolf Bolin (1901–1973), Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, who gave Paxton “much advice and encouragement”; ichthýs (Gr. ἰχθύς), fish
Bolinichthys distofax Johnson 1975 disto, (L.), stand apart (i.e., be different); fax (L.), torch or firebrand, referring to rearward displacement of the Vn photophore (in front of eye below olfactory capsule), unique among congeners
Bolinichthys indicus (Nafpaktitis & Nafpaktitis 1969) –icus (L.), belonging to: Indian Ocean, type locality
Bolinichthys longipes (Brauer 1906) longus (L.), long; pes (L.), foot, presumably referring to ventral fins, which usually reach a point behind anus
Bolinichthys nikolayi Becker 1978 in honor of ichthyologist Nikolai Vasil’evich Parin (1932–2012), Russian Academy of Sciences, leader of the 18th cruise of the research vessel Dmitry Mendeleev, whereupon holotype was collected
Bolinichthys photothorax (Parr 1928) phōtō– (Gr. φωτω-), combining form of phṓs (φῶς), light; thṓrax (Gr. θώραξ), breast or chest, presumably referring to characteristic luminous scale, one on each side of throat
Bolinichthys pyrsobolus (Alcock 1890) pyrsós (Gr. πῠρσός), firebrand or torch; bolus, from bṓlos (Gr. βῶλος), lump or morsel, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to photophores in general, or to “membranous expansion of the suboperculum which reaches considerably beyond the root of the pectoral fin”
Bolinichthys supralateralis (Parr 1928) supra– (L.), above; lateralis (L.), of the side, referring to position of PLO (suprapectoral), superior SAO (supra-anal), Pol (posterolateral) and Prc (precaudal) photophores above lateral line
Ceratoscopelus Günther 1864 cerato-, from kératos (Gr. κέρατος), genitive of kéras (κεράς), horn, proposed as a subgenus of Scopelus for C. maderensis, referring to bony projection or horn on each side above eye; Scopelus, junior synonym of Myctophum and an old name of some large-eyed fish, from skopós (Gr. σκοπός), looker, historically applied to lanternfishes and other pelagic or deep-sea fishes with large eyes
Ceratoscopelus maderensis (Lowe 1839) –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: off Madeira, eastern Atlantic, type locality
Ceratoscopelus townsendi (Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1889) in honor of Charles H. Townsend (1859–1944), naturalist on the U.S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross, which collected holotype
Ceratoscopelus warmingii (Lütken 1892) in honor of Danish botanist (and founding figure of ecology) Eugen Warming (1841–1924), who collected holotype
Lampadena Goode & Bean 1893 lampás (Gr. λαμπάς), lamp or lantern; adénos (Gr, ἀδένος), gland, referring to luminous glands above and below caudal peduncle of L. speculigera
Subgenus Lampadena
Lampadena anomala Parr 1928 Latin for odd or irregular, perhaps referring to “somewhat twisted position” in which holotype had been preserved and/or its small pectoral fins, which may “prove to be longer in better preserved specimens”
Lampadena atlantica Maul 1969 –ica (L.), belonging to: proposed as a subspecies of the Pacific L. urophaos from the Atlantic Ocean
Lampadena chavesi Collett 1905 in honor of Francisco Alfonso Chaves e Melo (1857–1926), naturalist, meteorologist, geophysicist, and Director of the Museum at Ponta Delgada (Azores, Portugal), who supplied holotype
Lampadena dea Fraser-Brunner 1949 Latin for goddess, allusion not explained nor evident
Lampadena notialis Nafpaktitis & Paxton 1968 Latin for southern, referring to its occurrence at high-southern latitudes
Lampadena pontifex Krefft 1970 pons (L.), bridge; fex, from facere (L.), to make, i.e., a bridge builder, referring to how it appears to be an intermediate form (or bridge) between the northern L. speculigera and the southern L. notialis
Lampadena speculigera Goode & Bean 1896 speculum (L.), mirror; –igera (L.), to have or bear, referring to “glistening mirrors” (i.e., silvery luminous glands) above and below caudal peduncle
Lampadena urophaos Paxton 1963 uro, from ourá (Gr. οὐρά), tail; pháos (Gr. φάος), light, referring to “distinctive” luminous glands on caudal peduncle
Subgenus Dorsadena Coleman & Nafpaktitis 1972 dorsa-, from dorsalis (L.), of the back; adénos (Gr, ἀδένος), gland, referring to large, elongate luminous gland immediately in front of adipose fin
Lampadena yaquinae (Coleman & Nafpaktitis 1972) of the research vessel Yaquina, Oregon State University (USA), which collected holotype
Subgenus Lychnophora Fraser-Brunner 1949 lýchnos (Gr. λύχνος), lamp; phora, from phoreús (Gr. φορεύς), bearer or carrier, presumably referring to “remarkable” luminous glands on caudal peduncle
Lampadena luminosa (Garman 1899) Latin for full of light, presumably a general reference to its luminous organs and photophores
Lampanyctus Bonaparte 1840 lampás (Gr. λαμπάς), lamp or lantern, referring to its luminous organs; nyktós (Gr. νυκτός), genitive of nýx (νύξ), night, possibly referring to the nocturnal migration of lanternfishes to the sea surface, but possibly also a misspelling of myctos, from Myctophum [some species placed in Nannobrachium, treated here as a junior synonym]
Lampanyctus acanthurus Wisner 1974 spiny-tailed, from ákantha (Gr. ἄκανθα), thorn, and ourá (Gr. οὐρά), tail, referring to unusually high number of spiny procurrent rays in caudal fin
Lampanyctus achirus (Andriashev 1962) á– (ἄ), Greek privative, without; chirus, from cheirós (Gr. χειρός), genitive of cheír (χείρ), hand (homologous to the pectoral fin), referring to absence of “distinct” (translation) pectoral-fin rays (rudiments of two or three minute rays may be visible microscopically)
Lampanyctus alatus Goode & Bean 1896 Latin for winged, referring to long, wing-like pectoral fins, reaching to at least middle of anal-fin base
Lampanyctus ater Tåning 1928 Latin for black, briefly described in a key, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to its dark or dusky coloration
Lampanyctus australis Tåning 1932 Latin for southern, proposed as a subspecies of L. alatus from southern waters off New Zealand, Australia and the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
Lampanyctus bensoni (Fowler 1934) in honor of Richard Dale Benson, Jr. (1876–1949), of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA), to whom Fowler was indebted for many collections of American fishes
Lampanyctus bristori (Zahuranec 2000) in honor of Zahuranec’s “good friend,” the late William B. Bristor, Jr. (1939–1999) of Washington, D.C.
Lampanyctus crocodilus (Risso 1810) Latin for crocodile, referring to its large mouth, “rather like that of a crocodile” (translation)
Lampanyctus crypticus (Zahuranec 2000) Latin for obscure or hidden, referring to its “unrecognized existence” (initially confused with L. ater and L. niger) and relationships
Lampanyctus cuprarius Tåning 1928 Latin for someone who works with copper; briefly described in a key, allusion not explained nor evident
Lampanyctus fernae Wisner 1971 in honor of Wisner’s “good wife” Ferne, “who deserves far more than this small token of my gratitude for her long sufferance of the preoccupation and associated neglectful acts so prevalent among workers in ichthyology”
Lampanyctus festivus Tåning 1928 Latin for pleasing, handsome or pretty; briefly described in a key, allusion not explained nor evident
Lampanyctus gemmifer Goode & Bean 1896 Latin for producing gems, presumably referring to “pearly mirror” on upper edge of caudal peduncle as long as eye, and a shorter one extending from end of anal fin to root of caudal fin
Lampanyctus gibbsi (Zahuranec 2000) in honor of the late Robert H. Gibbs, Jr. (1929–1988), U.S. National Museum, for his “his many contributions to our understanding of open-ocean midwater ichthyology” and the first to recognize the distinctness of this species
Lampanyctus hawaiiensis (Zahuranec 2000) –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Hawaiian Islands, near the center of its range, where it is abundant in surrounding midwaters
Lampanyctus hubbsi Wisner 1963 a “unique species” dedicated to the “equally unique” American ichthyologist Carl L. Hubbs (1894–1979)
Lampanyctus idostigma Parr 1931 ido-, Neo-Latin from eī́dos (Gr. εἶδος), form or shape; stígma (Gr. στίγμα), mark or spot, presumably referring to humeral photophore, described as a “dot”
Lampanyctus indicus (Zahuranec 2000) –icus (L.), belonging to: only species of genus evidently restricted to the Indian Ocean, where it is limited to the Equatorial Region
Lampanyctus intricarius Tåning 1928 etymology not explained, perhaps a variation of intricatus (L.), entangled or intricate; if so, allusion not evident
Lampanyctus isaacsi Wisner 1974 in honor of John D. Isaacs (1913–1980), Scripps Institution of Oceanography, for his development of the Isaacs-Kidd midwater trawl and many other contributions to marine science
Lampanyctus iselinoides Bussing 1965 –oides, Neo-Latin from eī́dos (Gr. εἶδος), form or shape: similar to L. iselini (=macdonaldi) in having two cheek photophores and short pectoral fins
Lampanyctus jordani Gilbert 1913 in honor of American ichthyologist David Starr Jordan (1851–1931), for his “epoch-making researches on the fish-fauna of Japan” (he also obtained type in 1900)
Lampanyctus lepidolychnus Becker 1967 lepídos (Gr. λεπίδος), genitive of lepίs (λεπίς), scale; lýchnos (Gr. λύχνος), lamp, referring to small photophores on each scale, a diagnostic character of this species
Lampanyctus lineatus Tåning 1928 Latin for lined, briefly described in a key, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to higher number of lateral-line scales and/or luminous organs along lateral line compared with L. cuprarius, described in the same paper
Lampanyctus macdonaldi (Goode & Bean 1896) in honor of Marshall McDonald (1835–1895, note Latinization of “Mc” to “Mac”), U.S. Commissioner of Fisheries
Lampanyctus macropterus (Brauer 1904) large-finned, from makrós (Gr. μακρός), long or large, and pterus, from pterón (Gr. πτερόν) or ptéryx (πτέρυξ), fin, referring to its long pectoral fin, extending past beginning of anal fin
Lampanyctus niger (Günther 1887) Latin for dark or black, referring to its uniform black coloration
Lampanyctus nobilis Tåning 1928 Latin for well-known, noted or celebrated; briefly described in a key, allusion not explained nor evident
Lampanyctus omostigma Gilbert 1908 hṓmos (Gr. ὦμος), shoulder; stígma (Gr. στίγμα), mark or spot, allusion not explained, probably referring to presence of humeral photophore
Lampanyctus parvicauda Parr 1931 parvus (L.), small; cauda (L.), tail; proposed as a subspecies of L. omostigma, presumably referring to smaller number (4–6) of infracaudal luminous scales compared with 9 on the nominate form
Lampanyctus photonotus Parr 1928 phōtō– (Gr. φωτω-), combining form of phṓs (φῶς), light; nṓtos (Gr. νῶτος), back, referring to series of “simple” photophores (not “luminous scales”) along each side of back from nape to behind dorsal fin
Lampanyctus phyllisae (Zahuranec 2000) in honor of registered nurse and Zahuranec’s former wife Phyllis E. Fabian (b. 1939), “as a token of recognition for her many years of support, which culminated” in his monograph on lanternfishes
Lampanyctus pusillus (Johnson 1890) Latin for very small (Johnson’s specimen was 34 mm SL)
Lampanyctus regalis (Gilbert 1892) Latin for royal, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to size of holotype specimen, described as “large” (~12.5 cm long)
Lampanyctus reinhardti (Jordan 1921) in honor of Hawaiian boatman Tom Reinhardt, who collected a number of “boiled” fish floating in the water, including type of this species, after a Mauna Loa eruption and lava flow in November 1919 [species inquirenda, provisionally included here]
Lampanyctus ritteri Gilbert 1915 in honor of American marine biologist William Emerson Ritter (1856-1944), Marine Biological Association of San Diego (now Scripps Institution of Oceanography), who collected holotype
Lampanyctus sibogae (Weber 1913) named for the ship Siboga and Indonesian expedition (1898–1899) of same name, during which holotype was collected
Lampanyctus simulator Wisner 1971 Latin for copier or imitator, referring to presence of an extra photophore just above pectoral origin and its “simulation of the same organ” heretofore found exclusively on L. jordani
Lampanyctus steinbecki Bolin 1939 in honor of Bolin’s friend, American author John Steinbeck (1902–1968)
Lampanyctus tenuiformis (Brauer 1906) tenuis (L.), thin or slender; formis, Neo-Latin scientific adjective of forma (L.), shape or form, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to body height, the lowest recorded by Brauer among the Lampanyctus species he examined
Lampanyctus turneri (Fowler 1934) in honor of Percy J. Turner, of Suva, Fiji, to whom Fowler was indebted for “interesting” fishes from that island country
Lampanyctus vadulus Hulley 1981 Latin for shallow, referring to its occurrence in shallower waters (50–300 m) compared to most lanternfishes
Lampanyctus wisneri (Zahuranec 2000) in honor American ichthyologist Robert L. Wisner (1921–2005), Scripps Institution of Oceanography, for his contributions to the systematics of myctophids and other oceanic fishes
Lepidophanes Fraser-Brunner 1949 lepídos (Gr. λεπίδος), genitive of lepίs (λεπίς), scale; phanḗs (Gr. φανής), visible, presumably referring to median “luminous scales” anterior to procurrent caudal-fin rays
Lepidophanes gaussi (Brauer 1906) in honor of German mathematician and physicist Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855) and/or the ship named after him, which collected holotype in the first German expedition to the South Pole (1901–1903)
Lepidophanes guentheri (Goode & Bean 1896) in honor of German-born British ichthyologist-herpetologist Albert Günther (1830–1914), author of Catalogue of the Fishes of the British Museum and the fish sections of Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H. M. S. Challenger, “monumental works, which are the foundations of ichthyological work in the last half of the nineteenth century”
Parvilux Hubbs & Wisner 1964 parvus (L.), little; lux (L.), light, referring to “unusually small” photophores
Parvilux boschmai Hubbs & Wisner 1964 in honor of Hilbrand Boschma (1893–1976), Dutch zoologist and director of the Rijksmuseum of Natural History in Leiden, “a man who, with spirit as notably erect as his body, has ably carried on in the fine tradition of the great naturalists of Leiden” [published in a volume of papers honoring Boschma]
Parvilux ingens Hubbs & Wisner 1964 Latin for immoderately large, referring to its “relatively immense size” (160 mm SL)
Stenobrachius Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1890 sténos (Gr. στένος), narrow; brachius, from bracchium (L.), forearm, referring to “very narrow” pectoral fins of S. leucopsarus
Stenobrachius leucopsarus (Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1890) etymology not explained, perhaps leukós (Gr. λευκός), white, and psarós (Gr. ψαριάς), speckled, described as “Light, dotted with black,” or leukópsaros (Gr. λευκόψαρος), whitish-gray, referring to its light coloration
Stenobrachius nannochir (Gilbert 1890) nánnos (Gr. νάννος), dwarf; chir, from cheír (Gr. χείρ), hand (homologous to the pectoral fin), referring to “very short and narrow” pectoral fins
Taaningichthys Bolin 1959 in honor of Danish lanternfish expert Åge Vedel Tåning (1890–1958), who discovered two of the species included in the genus, for his contributions to the knowledge of Myctophidae and for “many gracious favors” bestowed upon Bolin; ichthýs (Gr. ἰχθύς), fish
Taaningichthys bathyphilus (Tåning 1928) deep-loving, from bathýs (Gr. βαθύς), deep, and phílos (Gr. φίλος), friend or fond of, probably referring to depth of capture of type specimen, ~2000 meters (4000 meters of wire out)
Taaningichthys minimus (Tåning 1928) Latin for least, probably referring to its small size, up to ~65 mm
Taaningichthys paurolychnus Davy 1972 paûros (Gr. παῦρος), few or small; lýchnos (Gr. λύχνος), lamp, referring to absence of primary photophores and presence of limited, presumably secondary photophores
Triphoturus Fraser-Brunner 1949 tri– (L.), three; phōtō– (Gr. φωτω-), combining form of phṓs (φῶς), light; urus, from ourá (Gr. οὐρά), tail, referring to three Prc (precaudal) photophores “equally spaced in [an] oblique line”
Triphoturus mexicanus (Gilbert 1890) –anus (L.), belonging to: Mexico, referring to type locality off Baja California, México
Triphoturus microchir (Gilbert 1913) micro-, from mikrós (Gr. μικρός), small; chir, from cheír (Gr. χείρ), hand (homologous to the pectoral fin), referring to “very short and slender” pectoral fins, not reaching ventral fins
Triphoturus nigrescens (Brauer 1904) Latin for blackish, allusion not explained nor evident, perhaps referring to body coloration in life
Triphoturus oculeus (Garman 1899) Latin for full of eyes, referring to its large eyes, ¼ as long as head [often misspelled oculeum in Triphoturus]
Headlightfishes
Subfamily DIAPHINAE Paxton 1971
Diaphus Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1890 dia– (Gr. prefix, δια-), divided; phṓs (Gr. φῶς), light, referring to how most or all photophores of D. theta are divided by a horizontal cross septum of black pigment
Diaphus adenomus Gilbert 1905 adénos (Gr. ἀδένος), gland; hṓmos (Gr. ὦμος), shoulder, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to “semicircular white glandular body between pectoral base and upper pectoral spot” at tip of opercular flap
Diaphus agassizii Gilbert 1908 in honor of Swiss-born American mining magnate and zoologist Alexander Agassiz (1835–1910), Curator, Museum of Comparative Zoology (Harvard), in charge of the Albatross expedition that collected type
Diaphus aliciae Fowler 1934 in honor of American herpetologist Alice Boring (1883–1955), Yenching University, Peiping (now Beijing), China
Diaphus anderseni Tåning 1932 in honor of Tåning’s late friend, N. C. Andersen, physician on board the Danish research vessel Dana “during different cruises in northern and southern seas”
Diaphus antonbruuni Nafpaktitis 1978 in honor of the late Danish marine biologist Anton Frederick Bruun (1901–1961) and the research vessel (Anton Bruun) that bore his name (and which collected holotype)
Diaphus arabicus Nafpaktitis 1978 –icus (L.), belonging to: Arabian Sea, only known area of occurrence at time of description (may occur more widely in the Indian Ocean)
Diaphus balanovi Prokofiev, Emelyanova, Orlov & Orlova 2022 in honor of ichthyologist Andrei A. Balanov, A. V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, for his “significant contribution to studies of the North Pacific ichthyofauna, including mesopelagic fishes and fishes of the Emperor Seamount Chain in particular”
Diaphus basileusi Becker & Prut’ko 1984 of Basileus, Latinization of Basil, in honor of Greek-born American ichthyologist Basil G. Nafpaktitis (1929–2015), for his important investigations of myctophid systematics, especially of the genus Diaphus
Diaphus bertelseni Nafpaktitis 1966 in honor of Danish ichthyologist Erik Bertelsen (1912–1993), Director of the Danish Marine Biological Institute, who made available funds and facilities for study at his laboratory
Diaphus brachycephalus Tåning 1928 short-headed, from brachýs (Gr. βραχύς), short, and kephalḗ (Gr. κεφαλή), head, briefly described in a key, allusion not explained; a curious epithet since this fish’s head is actually quite large relative to its body (but the snout is very short)
Diaphus burtoni Fowler 1934 in honor of E. Milby Burton (1898–1977), insurance broker and Director of the Charleston Museum, South Carolina, USA, who collected local fishes for his museum and invited Fowler to study them
Diaphus chrysorhynchus Gilbert & Cramer 1897 chrysós (Gr. χρυσός), gold or golden; rhynchus, from rhýnchos (Gr. ῥύγχος), snout (i.e., jaw), referring to “orange-colored” photophore that covers snout
Diaphus coeruleus (Klunzinger 1871) Latin for dark blue, referring to blue-black dorsal coloration and/or “beautiful blue and silvery shimmering” luminous glands (translation)
Diaphus confusus Becker 1992 Latin for confused or unclear, reflecting the “absence of any clear diagnostic trait” for this species, a word that “well described the author’s state of mind when searching for a name for this taxon” (translations)
Diaphus dahlgreni Fowler 1934 in honor of zoologist Ulric Dahlgren (1870–1946), Princeton University (New Jersey, USA), for his work on “luminous animals”
Diaphus danae Tåning 1932 in honor of the Danish research vessel Dana, which collected holotype
Diaphus dehaveni Fowler 1934 in honor of the late Isaac Norris De Haven (1847–1924), birder and sportsman (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA), for whom Fowler was “indebted for many local fishes”
Diaphus diadematus Tåning 1932 Latin for adorned with a diadem, i.e., crowned, allusion not explained, presumably referring to luminous organs on head, including an “extraordinarily large” suborbital luminous organ on males, “occupying the whole space between eye and maxilla”
Diaphus diademophilus Nafpaktitis 1978 a combination of the names D. diadematus and D. termophilus, alluding to the close relationship between the three species and to the fact that in several characters this species is intermediate between the other two
Diaphus drachmanni Tåning 1932 in honor of Danish classical philologist Anders Bjørn Drachmann (1860–1935), president of the Carlsberg Foundation, which financed the Dana expedition during which holotype was collected
Diaphus dumerilii (Bleeker 1856) in honor of August Duméril (1812–1870), herpetologist and ichthyologist, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Paris)
Diaphus effulgens (Goode & Bean 1896) Latin for glittering or flashing, probably referring to luminous gland in front of head before the eye
Diaphus ehrhorni Fowler 1934 in honor of entomologist and horticulturist Edward M. Ehrhorn (1862–1941), Honolulu, Hawai‘i, USA, “with memories of many pleasant Australian days”
Diaphus faustinoi Fowler 1934 in honor of Leopoldo A. Faustino (1892-1935), geologist, mineralogist and conchologist (Bureau of Science, Manila, Philippines), “with pleasant memories of our trip to Krakatau” (or Krakatoa)
Diaphus fragilis Tåning 1928 Latin for fragile or brittle; briefly described in a key, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to deciduous scales common to most lanternfishes
Diaphus fulgens (Brauer 1904) Latin for shining or bright, presumably referring to suborbital luminous organ
Diaphus garmani Gilbert 1906 in honor of American ichthyologist-herpetologist Samuel Garman (1843–1927), Harvard University
Diaphus gigas Gilbert 1913 gígas (Gr. γίγας), giant, at 170 mm TL, the largest species in Gilbert’s monograph on the lanternfishes of Japan
Diaphus gracilis Kulikova 1961 Latin for thin or slender, referring to its body form
Diaphus handi Fowler 1934 in honor of the late H. Walker Hand (Cape May, New Jersey, USA), to whom Fowler was indebted for many fishes from Cape May
Diaphus holti Tåning 1918 in honor of Irish ichthyologist Ernest William Lyons Holt (1864–1922), “the first who has ever identified a postlarva of the genus Myctophus”
Diaphus hudsoni Zurbrigg & Scott 1976 named for the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Hudson, in honor of the Hudson 70 Cruise around the Americas, during which holotype was collected
Diaphus impostor Nafpaktitis, Robertson & Paxton 1995 Latin for a deceiver, referring to how it may be mistaken for D. aliciae
Diaphus jenseni Tåning 1932 in honor of Danish zoologist Adolf Severin Jensen (1866–1953), member of committee that edited the oceanographic reports of the Dana expeditions
Diaphus kapalae Nafpaktitis, Robertson & Paxton 1995 in honor of the fisheries research vessel Kapala, which has collected numerous specimens off the coast of New South Wales, including holotype of this species
Diaphus knappi Nafpaktitis 1978 in honor of American ichthyologist Leslie W. Knapp (1929‒2017), National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.), for providing Nafpaktitis with lanternfishes from both the Indian and Pacific Oceans
Diaphus kora Nafpaktitis, Robertson & Paxton 1995 Maori word for spark, referring to its bioluminescence (occurs near New Zealand, hence a Maori word)
Diaphus kuroshio Kawaguchi & Nafpaktitis 1978 named for the Kuroshio Waters of Japan, where it occurs
Diaphus lobatus Nafpaktitis 1978 Latin for lobed, referring to the pronounced posterodorsal lobe of its operculum
Diaphus lucidus (Goode & Bean 1896) Latin for bright or shining, perhaps referring to luminous glands in general, or specifically to large, apparently luminous, pearl-colored spot under tip of opercular flap
Diaphus lucifrons Fowler 1934 lux (L.), light; frons (L.), brow or forehead, referring to large antorbital luminous organ “all along front eye edge”
Diaphus luetkeni (Brauer 1904) in honor of Danish zoologist Christian Frederik Lütken (1827–1901), whose 1892 classification of 24 lanternfish species was of “great systematic value” (translation)
Diaphus malayanus Weber 1913 –anus (L.), belonging to: Malaya, presumably referring to its occurrence in Halmahera and Banda Seas, both in the Malay Archipelago
Diaphus mascarensis Becker 1990 –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: on the banks of the Mascarene Ridge, Indian Ocean, type locality
Diaphus meadi Nafpaktitis 1978 in honor of American ichthyologist Giles W. Mead (1928–2003), who as cruise leader on the Anton Bruun Cruises 6 (Indian Ocean) and 13 (eastern South Pacific) was largely responsible for much of the material reported on by Nafpaktitis
Diaphus megalops Nafpaktitis 1978 mégas (Gr. μέγας), big; ṓps (Gr. ὦψ), eye, referring to its “remarkably large eye”
Diaphus metopoclampus (Cocco 1829) etymology not explained, presumably métōpon (Gr. μέτωπον), after the eye, i.e., forehead, and lampás (Gr. λαμπάς), lamp or lantern, referring to prominent luminous gland on front of head before the eyes
Diaphus microps (Brauer 1904) micro-, from mikrós (Gr. μικρός), small; ṓps (Gr. ὦψ), eye, referring to its “very small eye” (translation)
Diaphus minax Nafpaktitis 1968 Latin for threatening, referring to the “angry looks of this fish”
Diaphus mollis Tåning 1928 Latin for soft, flabby or gelatinous; briefly described in a key, allusion not explained nor evident
Diaphus nielseni Nafpaktitis 1978 in honor of Danish ichthyologist Jørgen G. Nielsen (b. 1932), Zoological Museum of Copenhagen, to whom Nafpaktitis was most grateful for hospitality and help during the long period of his study of the Dana Collections, which are housed at Nielsen’s museum
Diaphus ostenfeldi Tåning 1932 in honor of the late Carl Hansen Ostenfeld (1873–1931), Danish botanist and chairman of the committee that edited the oceanographic reports of the Dana expeditions
Diaphus pacificus Parr 1931 –icus (L.), belonging to: Pacific Ocean, described from the Eastern Pacific (Gulf of California) but occurring in the Central Pacific (Johnston Atoll) as well
Diaphus pallidus Gjøsaeter 1989 Latin for pale, referring to its pale, light gray color when recently caught
Diaphus parini Becker 1992 in honor of ichthyologist Nikolai Vasil’evich Parin (1932–2012), Russian Academy of Sciences, who had reservations about its identification as D. suborbitalis in the field
Diaphus parri Tåning 1932 in honor of Norwegian-born marine biologist Albert Eide Parr (1900–1991), for his “valuable” contribution to lanternfish taxonomy
Diaphus perspicillatus (Ogilby 1898) Neo-Latin for spectacled, referring to pair of supernumerary photophores in front of eyes
Diaphus phillipsi Fowler 1934 in honor of the late Dr. Richard J. Phillips of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, who collected many local fishes for Fowler
Diaphus problematicus Parr 1928 problēmatikós (Gr. προβληματικός), problematical, reflecting Parr’s concern that this species may prove to be conspecific with D. tanakae (=malayanus)
Diaphus rafinesquii (Cocco 1838) in honor of French-born American naturalist Constantine Samuel Rafinesque (1783-–1840), who Cocco believes misidentified this species as Myctophum punctatum in 1810
Diaphus regani Tåning 1932 in honor of English ichthyologist Charles Tate Regan (1878–1943), Natural History Museum (London)
Diaphus richardsoni Tåning 1932 in honor of Scottish surgeon-naturalist John Richardson (1787–1865), the first collector and writer on lanternfishes from the Indo-Pacific
Diaphus rivatoni Bourret 1985 in honor of friend and colleague for 20 years, French zoologist Jacques Rivaton (1921–2009), ORSTOM (Office de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique d’Outre-Mer), New Caledonia, who has devoted much effort to the identification of Diaphus from the Western Pacific
Diaphus roei Nafpaktitis 1974 in honor of American marine biologist Richard N. Roe (1936–2016), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Fisheries Center, Pascagoula, Mississippi, USA, who provided specimens collected from the NMFS research vessel Oregon
Diaphus sagamiensis Gilbert 1913 –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Sagami Bay, Japan, type locality
Diaphus schmidti Tåning 1932 in honor of Danish biologist Johannes Schmidt (1877–1933), who led the Dana expedition during which holotype was collected
Diaphus signatus Gilbert 1908 Latin for marked, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to any or all of the following: a) distinct luminous dot surrounded by black pigment immediately above preocular luminous organ; b) dorsal-, anal- and caudal-fin rays finely dotted with black; c) two broad dark bars across mandibles
Diaphus similis Wisner 1974 Latin for like or resembling, referring to its similarity to D. trachops and, to a lesser degree, D. suborbitalis
Diaphus splendidus (Brauer 1904) Latin for bright or shining, presumably a general reference to its luminous organs
Diaphus suborbitalis Weber 1913 Latin for suborbital (below the eye), named for roundish suborbital luminous organ below posterior half of eye
Diaphus subtilis Nafpaktitis 1968 Latin for very fine or delicate, referring to “relatively small morphological differences, some of them difficult to define,” between this species and others of the D. rafinesquii species group
Diaphus taaningi Norman 1930 in honor of Danish lanternfish expert Åge Vedel Tåning (1890–1958), who loaned type specimens to Norman and provided information about them
Diaphus termophilus Tåning 1928 termo-, presumably a variant or misspelling of thermós (Gr. θερμός), hot; phílos (Gr. φίλος), fond of, probably referring to its occurrence within the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea and its immediate vicinity
Diaphus theta Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1890 named for how most or all photophores are divided by a horizontal cross septum of black pigment, giving them the form of the Greek letter θ, theta
Diaphus thiollierei Fowler 1934 in honor of Victor Joseph de l’Isle Thiollière (1801–1859), French civil engineer, geologist and paleoichthyologist, who reported on fishes collected by French priest and biologist Xavier Montrouzier (1820–1897) from the Woodlark Archipelago (Papua, New Guinea) in 1857
Diaphus trachops Wisner 1974 trachýs (Gr. τραχύς), jagged or rough; ṓps (Gr. ὦψ), eye, referring to uneven surface of lower orbital margin caused by “small domed intrusions of pigmented tissue” covering minute, probably luminous, dots anterior to Vn (ventronasal) luminous organ
Diaphus umbroculus Fowler 1934 umbra (L.), shade or shadow; oculus (L.), eye, referring to dark antorbital luminous organ
Diaphus vanhoeffeni (Brauer 1906) in honor of German zoologist Ernst Vanhöffen (1858–1918), who studied medusa jellies aboard the research vessel Valdivia, the first German expedition to explore the deep sea, during which holotype was collected
Diaphus watasei Jordan & Starks 1904 in honor of biologist Shozaburo Watasé (1862–1929), Imperial University of Tokyo, who presented holotype to Stanford University
Diaphus whitleyi Fowler 1934 in honor of Australian ichthyologist-malacologist Gilbert Percy Whitley (1903–1975), to whom Fowler was indebted for much assistance in his studies of Indo-Pacific fishes
Diaphus wisneri Nafpaktitis, Robertson & Paxton 1995 in honor of American ichthyologist Robert L. Wisner (1921‒2005), Scripps Institution of Oceanography (San Diego, California, USA), for his work on the taxonomy and distribution of myctophids
Idiolychnus Nafpaktitis & Paxton 1978 ídios (Gr. ἴδιος), distinctive or peculiar; lýchnos (Gr. λύχνος), lamp or lantern, referring to “peculiar combination and arrangement” of luminous organs (a small dorsonasal luminous organ and well-developed sexually dimorphic luminous glands on caudal peduncle)
Idiolychnus urolampus (Gilbert & Cramer 1897) uro, from ourá (Gr. οὐρά), tail; lampás (Gr. λαμπάς), lamp or lantern, presumably referring to supra- and infra-caudal luminous glands in adult males and females, respectively
Lobianchia Gatti 1904 –ia (L.), belonging to: fellow marine biologist Salvatore Lo Bianco (1860–1910), preparator, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (Naples, Italy)
Lobianchia dofleini (Zugmayer 1911) in honor of German zoologist Franz Doflein (1873–1924), University of Munich, who recommended Zugmayer for the job of studying fishes obtained by the Princesse-Alice of Monaco (1901–1910)
Lobianchia gemellarii (Cocco 1838) in honor of Cocco’s friend, Italian geologist Carlo Gemellaro (1787–1866), “well known for his interesting geognostic [geological] works on many places in Sicily” (translation)
Lanternfishes
Subfamily MYCTOPHINAE Gill 1893
Benthosema Goode & Bean 1896 bénthos (Gr. βένθος), depth (of the sea), referring to its habitat; sēma (Gr. σῆμα), sign, mark or token but said by Goode & Bean to mean a constellation of stars, i.e., a deep-sea constellation, referring to the “number and brilliancy of its luminous spots”
Benthosema fibulatum (Gilbert & Cramer 1897) Latin for fastened together with a fibula (a brooch or pin), allusion not explained, perhaps referring to how its photophores and “silvery, steel blue, iridescent” scales could resemble a jeweled and decorative brooch
Benthosema glaciale (Reinhardt 1837) Latin for icy or frozen, presumably referring to its occurrence in the Arctic waters of Greenland, type locality
Benthosema panamense (Tåning 1932) –ense, Latin suffix denoting place: Gulf of Panama, type locality
Benthosema pterotum (Alcock 1890) scientific Neo-Latin for finned, presumably referring to its long pectoral fins, extending to first or second anal-fin ray
Benthosema suborbitale (Gilbert 1913) Latin for suborbital (below the eye), referring to small round photophore on cheek below posterior portion of eye
Centrobranchus Fowler 1904 centro-, from kéntron (Gr. κέντρον), any sharp point; branchus, from bránchia (Gr. βράγχια), gills, referring to poorly developed gill rakers, reduced to a few small protuberances topped by slender spinules or, per Fowler, “small inconspicuous prickles”
Centrobranchus andreae (Lütken 1892) in honor of the “tireless collector” (translation) Capt. A. F. Andréas, who collected this and other sea fishes for the University of Copenhagen Zoological Museum [andreae is presumably a Latinization of Andréas]
Centrobranchus choerocephalus Fowler 1904 pig-headed, from choī́ros (Gr. χοῖρος), young pig or porker, and kephalḗ (Gr. κεφαλή), head, presumably referring to snout protruding beyond mouth (despite the name he selected, Fowler said head resembles that of an anchovy)
Centrobranchus nigroocellatus (Günther 1873) nigro-, from niger (L.), black or dark; ocellatus (L.), having little eyes (ocelli), referring to “thick black ring” (translation) surrounding light organs
Ctenoscopelus Fraser-Brunner 1949 cteno-, from ktenós (Gr. κτενός), comb, allusion not explained, possibly referring to “strongly dentate” opercular margin; Scopelus, junior synonym of Myctophum and an old name of some large-eyed fish, from skopós (Gr. σκοπός), looker, historically applied to lanternfishes and other pelagic or deep-sea fishes with large eyes
Ctenoscopelus phengodes (Lütken 1892) odes-, Neo-Latin from eī́dos (Gr. εἶδος), form or shape: phéngos (Gr. φέγγος), moonlight, allusion not explained, presumably a general adjective for a lanternfish
Dasyscopelus Günther 1864 dasýs (Gr. δασύς), hairy or shaggy, proposed as a subgenus of Scopelus, referring to denticulate scales of D. asper; Scopelus, junior synonym of Myctophum and an old name of some large-eyed fish, from skopós (Gr. σκοπός), looker, historically applied to lanternfishes and other pelagic or deep-sea fishes with large eyes
Dasyscopelus asper (Richardson 1845) Latin for rough, referring to its “deeply toothed” scales, “the teeth being readily visible to the naked eye, and rendering the fish rough to the touch”
Dasyscopelus brachygnathos (Bleeker 1856) brachýs (Gr. βραχύς), short; gnáthos (Gr. γνάθος), jaw, presumably referring to jaws not extending beyond posterior margin of eye
Dasyscopelus lychnobius (Bolin 1946) from lýchnos (Gr. λύχνος), lamp or lantern, per Bolin, “one who lives by lamplight, who turns night into day”
Dasyscopelus obtusirostris (Tåning 1928) obtusus (L.), blunt; rostris, Neo-Latin scientific adjective of rostrum (L.), snout, referring to its “very short” snout
Dasyscopelus orientalis Gilbert 1913 Latin for eastern, “evidently one of the most abundant species in Japanese waters”
Dasyscopelus selenops (Tåning 1928) selḗnē (Gr. σελήνῃ), moon; ṓps (Gr. ὦψ), eye, allusion not explained but clearly referring to its large eyes, their diameter 1.4–1.6 in length of upper jaw, 2.2–2.4 in length of head, and 7.0–7.5 in SL
Dasyscopelus spinosus (Steindachner 1867) Latin for thorny, referring to long spine (sometimes two) on lower extremity of each scale at anal-fin base
Diogenichthys Bolin 1939 Diogenes (412 or 404 BC–323 BC), a Cynic philosopher who went about in daytime with a lighted lantern looking for an honest man, allusion not explained but clearly referring to luminous organs (lanterns) of D. laternatus; ichthýs (Gr. ἰχθύς), fish
Diogenichthys atlanticus (Tåning 1928) –icus (L.), belonging to: Atlantic Ocean, proposed as an Atlantic subspecies of the Pacific D. lanternatus
Diogenichthys laternatus (Garman 1899) –atus (L.), provided with: latrerna (L.), lantern, lamp or torch, i.e., luminous organs
Diogenichthys panurgus Bolin 1946 panoū́rgos (Gr. πανοῦργος), a rascal, allusion not explained nor evident
Electrona Goode & Bean 1896 from élektron (Gr. ἤλεκτρον), amber, said by Goode & Beanto mean “full of light,” presumably referring to luminous glands and/or photophores on body
Electrona antarctica (Günther 1878) –ica (L.), belonging to: Antarctic Ocean, type locality (but cosmopolitan in distribution)
Electrona carlsbergi (Tåning 1932) in honor of the Carlsberg Laboratory, Copenhagen, research arm of the Carlsberg Foundation, which financed the Dana expedition that collected holotype
Electrona paucirastra Bolin 1962 paucus (L.), few or scanty; rastra, plural of rastrum (L.), rake, referring to fewer number of gill rakers (21–23) compared with some congeners
Electrona risso (Cocco 1829) in honor of Italian-French naturalist Antoine Risso (1777–1845), whose 1827 work on the fishes of Southern Europe greatly influenced Cocco [a noun in apposition, without the genitive “i”]
Electrona subaspera (Günther 1864) sub (L.), less or under (i.e., somewhat); aspera (L.), rough, referring to “coarsely denticulated” scales, but presumably less so than the “strongly serrated” scales of Myctophum asperum (now Dasyscopelus asper), its presumed congener at the time
Gonichthys Gistel 1850 etymology not explained, perhaps gōnía (Gr. γωνία), angle or corner, i.e., angular, referring to “large, wide, diamond-shaped lateral line scales” (translation) of G. loricata (=cocco); ichthýs (Gr. ἰχθύς), fish
Gonichthys barnesi Whitley 1943 in honor of taxidermist William R. Barnes (1886–1962), who collected fishes in New South Wales and at Lord Howe Island, and whose labors “contributed largely” to a recent reorganization of the Australian Museum’s fish collection
Gonichthys cocco (Cocco 1829) per Cocco (1838), “dedicated to the memory of my dear father, who died very prematurely, and whose loss will never stop bringing me to tears” (translation) [presumably a noun in apposition, without the genitive “i”]
Gonichthys tenuiculus (Garman 1899) Latin for very thin or slight, referring to its compressed, elongate body, “very slender near the caudal fin”
Gonichthys venetus Becker 1964 Latin for sea-colored, referring to its bluish color, well-retained in preserved specimens
Hygophum Bolin 1939 proposed as a subgenus of Myctophus by Tåning in 1932 but not available until Bolin 1939; etymology not explained but possibly a combination of hygo– (referring to H. hygomii, which Tåning included in the subgenus) and –phum, the second half of Myctophum
Hygophum atratum (Garman 1899) Latin for dressed in black, referring to body coloration, “lighter and silvery on the lower portions of the head and the anterior parts of the abdomen”
Hygophum benoiti (Cocco 1838) in honor of Cocco’s friend, Italian naturalist Luigi Benoit (1804–1890), author of the (then) upcoming Ornitologia Siciliana (1840)
Hygophum bruuni Wisner 1971 in honor of Danish oceanographer Anton F. Bruun (1901–1961), and of the research vessel that bore his name, which “served to enhance greatly the knowledge of biology and hydrology of the Indian and southeastern Pacific oceans”
Hygophum hanseni (Tåning 1932) in honor of Georg Hansen, who “for about 30 years has been attached to the Danish Marine investigations,” as captain of the Thor, the first Danish research ship specially equipped for scientific work on the oceans, and later as captain of the Dana, which collected holotype
Hygophum hygomii (Lütken 1892) in honor of Capt. Vilhelm Johannes Willaius Hygom (1818–?), Danish merchant seaman who collected marine organisms, including some of Lütken’s “Spoils of the Atlantic” (translation)
Hygophum macrochir (Günther 1864) macro-, from makrós (Gr. μακρός), long or large; chir, from cheī́r (Gr. χείρ), hand (homologous to the pectoral fin), referring to long pectoral fin, which extends to anal fin
Hygophum proximum Becker 1965 Latin for nearest or next, referring to the close relationship of this Indo-Pacific species with the Atlantic H. macrochir
Hygophum reinhardtii (Lütken 1892) in honor of the late Johannes Theodor Reinhardt (1816–1882), Danish zoologist and student of phosphorescent fishes
Hygophum taaningi Becker 1965 in honor of Danish ichthyologist Åge Vedel Tåning (1890–1958), who first noted that specimens previously identified as H. macrochir from the north Atlantic (this species) differ from those of the tropical Atlantic
Krefftichthys Hulley 1981 in honor of Gerhard Krefft (1912-1993), Institut für Seefischerei (Hamburg), for his valuable contribution to the knowledge of lanternfishes, and whose “unfailing interest and critical supervision” made Hulley’s monograph possible; ichthýs (Gr. ἰχθύς), fish
Krefftichthys anderssoni (Lönnberg 1905) in honor of Karl Andreas Andersson (1875–1968), zoologist of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition, who collected holotype
Loweina Fowler 1925 –ina (L. prefix), belonging to: eponym not identified, perhaps in honor of British biologist-clergyman Richard Thomas Lowe (1802–1874), who described several fishes, including one lanternfish, Ceratoscopelus maderensis
Loweina interrupta (Tåning 1928) Latin for interrupted, allusion not explained, possibly referring to incomplete (or weakly developed) lateral line (a character of the genus), its external pores (perforated scales) seldom extending much beyond pelvic-fin origin
Loweina rara (Lütken 1892) Latin for rare or thinly scattered, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to paucity of type material (Lütken made a point of mentioning that he had only four specimens)
Loweina terminata Becker 1964 Latin for bounded or limited, referring to its distribution, representing the northern limit of tropical myctophids
Metelectrona Wisner 1963 metá (Gr. μετά), preposition meaning change or transposition; Electrona, a myctophid genus, denoting the “evolutionary advancement expressed by the distinct elevation of two photophores of the normally unbroken anal series characteristic of the electronid fishes”
Metelectrona ahlstromi Wisner 1963 in honor of ichthyologist Elbert H. Ahlstrom (1910–1979), Southwest Fisheries Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, for his work on the Pacific sardine and other pelagic fishes of the eastern North Pacific
Metelectrona herwigi Hulley 1981 in honor of the German fisheries research vessel Walther Herwig, which collected holotype
Metelectrona ventralis (Becker 1963) Latin for of the belly, named for second VO (ventral) photophore higher than the others, a diagnostic feature of the species
Myctophum Rafinesque 1810 etymology not explained, possibly a combination of myktḗr (Gr. μυκτήρ), nostril, and ophum, from lóphos (Gr. λόφος), crest or ridge, referring to “big nose [of M. punctatum] with two oblong openings separated by a ridge, and margined by another” (translation); another possibility is myctos, a misspelling of nyktós (Gr. νυκτός), genitive of nýx (νύξ), night, and phṓs (Gr. φῶς), light), referring to its “shiny silvery round dots” (translation), but, per Jordan & Evermann (1896), “Rafinesque did not know that the spots were luminous”
Myctophum affine (Lütken 1892) Latin for related, presumably referring to similarity and/or close relationship to Scopelus caninianus (=M. punctatum)
Myctophum aurolaternatum Garman 1899 auro-, from aurum (L.), gold; laternatum (L.), provided with lanterns, referring to its golden luminous organs
Myctophum fissunovi Becker & Borodulina 1971 in honor of Georgy Kasyanovich Fissunov (or Fisunov, see Tryssogobius fisunovi in Gobiidae and Cheilopogon fisunovi in Belonidae), a senior technician-oceanologist aboard the research vessel Vityaz, an “enthusiastic and unsurpassed master in the art of fishing with a cast net,” and to whom the P. P. Shirnov Institute of Oceanology owes for creating “one of the world’s largest collections of epipelagic fishes numbering many thousands of specimens” (translations)
Myctophum imperceptum Becker & Borodulina 1971 Latin for unperceived or undetected, having been identified as M. (now Dasyscopelus) brachygnathos and M. pristilepis (=D. brachygnathos) by earlier authors
Myctophum indicum (Day 1877) –icum (L.), belonging to: India, referring to Vizagapatam, India, where a single specimen “now in bad shape” (disintegrated) was collected [species inquirenda, provisionally included here]
Myctophum lunatum Becker & Borodulina 1978 Latin for lunate (moon-shaped), referring to shape of luminous gland at posterodorsal edge of orbit
Myctophum nitidulum Garman 1899 diminutive of nitidus (L.), shining, neat or elegant, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to smaller and/or fewer luminous organs compared with other lanternfishes described by Garman in the same publication
Myctophum novaeseelandiae (Steindachner 1900) of New Zealand, type locality [species inquirenda, provisionally included here]
Myctophum ovcharovi Tsarin 1993 in honor of myctophid specialist Oleg Petrovich Ovcharov, Ukranian Academy of Sciences, who first noted that M. asperum (now Dasyscopelus asper) in the Indian Ocean did not approach the surface in its diurnal vertical migrations
Myctophum punctatum Rafinesque 1810 Latin for spotted, referring to “shiny silvery round dots, scattered regularly on the lower body” (translation); per Jordan & Evermann (1896), “Rafinesque did not know that the spots were luminous”
Protomyctophum Fraser-Brunner 1949 prṓtos (Gr. πρῶτος), first or earliest form of, proposed as a subgenus of Electrona, “clearly the most primitive genus” of myctophids; Myctomum, type genus of family
Subgenus Protomyctophum
Protomyctophum andriashevi Becker 1963 in honor of Russian ichthyologist Anatoly Petrovich Andriashev (1910–2009), author of a 1962 review on systematics and distribution of lanternfishes of the Southern Hemisphere
Protomyctophum bolini (Fraser-Brunner 1949) in honor of American ichthyologist Rolf Bolin (1901–1973), Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, who discovered this species but was “lost generous in insisting” that Fraser-Brunner describe it “rather than let it wait for his much more important forthcoming [1959] work”
Protomyctophum choriodon Hulley 1981 chōrís (Gr. χωρίς), asunder or apart; odon, Latinized and grammatically adjusted from the Greek nominative ὀδούς (odoús), tooth, referring to evenly spaced teeth on palatine
Protomyctophum gemmatum Hulley 1981 Latin for adorned with jewels, referring to luminous caudal glands of males
Protomyctophum kolaevi Prokofiev 2004 in honor of V. F. Kolaev, who collected holotype in 1981; Kolaev was probably a fishery worker for TINRO (Pacific Scientific Research Fisheries Centre), Artem Prokofiev, pers. comm.) [possibly a synonym of P. choriodon]
Protomyctophum luciferum Hulley 1981 lux (L.), light; –ferum (L.), having or bearing, presumably a general reference to its luminous glands and photophores
Protomyctophum mcginnisi Prokofiev 2004 in honor of Richard Frank McGinnis, for his contribution (a 1982 monograph on biogeography) to the study of lanternfishes of the Southern Hemisphere [possibly a synonym of P. bolini]
Protomyctophum normani (Tåning 1932) in honor of English ichthyologist J. R. (John Roxborough) Norman (1898–1944), British Museum (Natural History), who described the related M. tenisoni in 1930
Protomyctophum tenisoni (Norman 1930) in honor of Lt.-Col. William Percival Cosnahan Tenison (1884–1983), British Army officer who was also a painter and scientific illustrator, and who provided the illustrations in Norman’s report
Subgenus Hierops Fraser-Brunner 1949 hierós (Gr. ἱερός), sacred or holy (e.g., heavenly); ṓps (Gr. ὦψ), eye, referring to their “telescopic” eyes
Protomyctophum arcticum (Lütken 1892) arktikós (Gr. ἀρκτικός), northern, probably referring to its type locality, Davis Strait, Greenland
Protomyctophum beckeri Wisner 1971 in honor of ichthyologist Vladimir Eduardovich Becker (1925–1995), Institute of Oceanology (Moscow), who first recognized the distinctness of this species, for his “extensive and valuable” studies on myctophid fishes collected by various Russian expeditions
Protomyctophum chilense Wisner 1971 –ense, Latin suffix denoting place: southeastern Pacific Ocean off Chile, type locality and where it appears to be confined
Protomyctophum crockeri (Bolin 1939) in honor of San Francisco philanthropist and self-proclaimed explorer Charles Templeton Crocker (1884–1948), who used his yacht Zaca as a research vessel and thus “played an important role in the zoological exploration of the Pacific”
Protomyctophum parallelum (Lönnberg 1905) Latin for parallel, a Southern Atlantic (or sub-Antarctic) species whose distribution parallels that of the closely related P. arcticum from the Northern Atlantic
Protomyctophum subparallelum (Tåning 1932) sub– (L.), less or under (i.e., somewhat), presumably referring to its resemblance to P. paralellum, both of which Tåning considered to be subspecies of P. arcticum
Protomyctophum thompsoni (Chapman 1944) in honor of fishery biologist William Francis Thompson (1888–1965), Chapman’s mentor at the University of Washington (Seattle, USA), for his work in economic fisheries, ichthyology and teaching
Symbolophorus Bolin & Wisner 1959 symbolum, symbol or sign; fero, to bear, referring to “very strongly angulated” SAO (supra-anal) photophore, which distinguishes it from Myctophum
Symbolophorus barnardi (Tåning 1932) in honor of South African zoologist Keppel Harcourt Barnard (1887–1964), who raised the possibility that this species is distinct from Myctophum humboldti (=punctatum) in 1925
Symbolophorus boops (Richardson 1845) bo, from boū́s (Gr. βοῦς), bull, metaphorically used to mean big; ṓps (Gr. ὦψ), eye, referring to its “large round eye, which fills about half the space between the tip of the snout and edge of the gill-cover”
Symbolophorus californiensis (Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1889) –ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: California (USA), where type locality (Cortez Banks, off San Diego) is situated
Symbolophorus evermanni (Gilbert 1905) in honor of American ichthyologist Barton Warren Evermann (1853–1932), United States Fish Commission, which published Gilbert’s monograph
Symbolophorus kreffti Hulley 1981 in honor of German ichthyologist Gerhard Krefft (1912–1993), Institut für Seefischerei (Hamburg) the first to realize that specimens of Symbolophorus from near the Cape Verde Islands might be specifically distinct from S. veranyi
Symbolophorus reversus Gago & Ricord 2005 Latin for turned back, referring to “reverse-concavity form” of luminous plates on supracaudal gland of males; these plates are turned backward in position when compared to the closely related S. evermanni
Symbolophorus rufinus (Tåning 1928) Latin for reddish-brown; briefly described in a key, allusion not explained nor evident, perhaps referring to color of photophores in life
Symbolophorus veranyi (Moreau 1888) in honor of French pharmacist-naturalist Jean Baptiste Vérany (1800–1865), director and co-founder of the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle de Nice
Tarletonbeania Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1890 –ia (L. suffix), belonging to: American ichthyologist Tarleton H. Bean (1846–1916), U.S. National Museum
Tarletonbeania crenularis (Jordan & Gilbert 1880) Latin for slightly scalloped, referring to crenulate scales on sides
Tarletonbeania taylori Mead 1953 in honor of oceanographer Frederick Henry Carlyle Taylor (1919–1987), Pacific Biological Station (Namaimo, British Columbia, Canada), “whose initiative and enterprise, coupled with the material support of the three governments involved [USA, Canada, Japan], made the trawling experiments [during which holotype was collected] possible”
Tarletonbeania tenua Eigenmann & Eigenmann 1890 presumably an unnecessary feminization of tenuis (L.), thin or slender, referring to its greatly compressed body, highest at shoulders, tapering to a very slender caudal peduncle