Family SCOPELARCHIDAE Alcock 1896 (Pearleyes)

Updated 31 March 2025
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Benthalbella Zugmayer 1911 etymology not explained, presumably bénthos (Gr. βένθος), depth (of the sea), and albella, a diminutive of albus (L.), white, perhaps referring to referring to deep-sea habitat (300–600 m) and yellowish-white color in alcohol of larval B. infans

Benthalbella dentata (Chapman 1939) Latin for toothed, the bones of the mouth bearing a “surprising array of teeth”

Benthalbella elongata (Norman 1937) Latin for prolonged, referring to its longer body compared with Scopelarchus guentheri, its presumed congener at the time

Benthalbella infans Zugmayer 1911 Latin for infant or immature, described from a very young or larval specimen

Benthalbella linguidens (Mead & Böhlke 1953) lingua (L.), tongue; dens (L.), tooth, referring to 6–8 “distinctive” teeth on tongue, with sharp tips “hooked strongly” backwards

Lagiacrusichthys Davis 2015 Lagiacrus, name of a wyvern, a dragon-like creature from mythology known for its fierceness and inhabiting the deep; ichthýs (Gr. ἰχθύς), fish

Lagiacrusichthys macropinna (Bussing & Bussing 1966) macro-, from makrós (Gr. μακρός), long or large; pinna (L.), fin, presumably referring to higher anal-fin ray count compared with its presumed congeners in Benthalbella

Rosenblattichthys Johnson 1974 named for Richard H. Rosenblatt (1930–2014), Scripps Institution of Oceanography, for his numerous contributions to both ichthyology and ichthyologists; ichthýs (Gr. ἰχθύς), fish

Rosenblattichthys alatus (Fourmanoir 1970) Latin for winged, referring to its very long pectoral and ventral fins

Rosenblattichthys hubbsi Johnson 1974 in honor of American ichthyologist Carl L. Hubbs (1894–1979), for his numerous contributions to the science

Rosenblattichthys nemotoi Okiyama & Johnson 1986 in honor of Takahisa Nemoto (1930–1990), Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, for his “great” contributions to Antarctic biology, including direction of the cruise during which holotype was collected

Rosenblattichthys volucris (Rofen 1966) Latin for flying or winged, allusion not explained, perhaps referring to long (and therefore wing-like) pectoral fins, extending almost to or beyond anus [author previously known as Harry]

Scopelarchoides Parr 1929 -oides, Neo-Latin from eī́dos (Gr. εἶδος), form or shape: “obviously very recently derived or at least only little differentiated” from Scopelarchus

Scopelarchoides climax Johnson 1974 named for the Climax Expeditions to the central Pacific Ocean (during which holotype was collected), and for John McGowan, their leader, and for the participating scientists and crews

Scopelarchoides danae Johnson 1974 in honor of the Danish fishery research vessel Dana (which collected some of the paratypes), “used during the major expeditions of the Carlsberg Foundation, her scientific parties and crews, and the continuing work of the Carlsberg Foundation that has so greatly enhanced our knowledge of the deepsea fauna”

Scopelarchoides kreffti Johnson 1972 in honor of German ichthyologist Gerhard Krefft (1912-1993), Institute für Seefischerei (Hamburg), whose efforts upon the research vessel Walther Herwig have contributed greatly to our knowledge of the midwater fauna of the Atlantic Ocean

Scopelarchoides nicholsi Parr 1929 in honor of American zoologist John Treadwell Nichols (1883–1958), curator of fishes at the American Museum of Natural History

Scopelarchoides signifer Johnson 1974 signum (L.), mark; –fer, from fero (L.), to have or bear, referring to distinctive flag-like pattern of pigment on dorsal lobe of caudal fin

Scopelarchus Alcock 1896 Scopelus (=Myctophum), a genus of lanternfishes (Myctophiformes), referring to casual resemblance between them and S. guentheri; archós (Gr. ἀρχός), anus, referring to long anal fin, “occupying the greater part of the tail”

Scopelarchus analis (Brauer 1902) Latin for anal, referring to long anal fin, 1/3 length of body, nearly reaching tail

Scopelarchus guentheri Alcock 1896 patronym not identified but clearly in honor of German-born British ichthyologist-herpetologist Albert Günther (1830–1914), British Museum (Natural History)

Scopelarchus michaelsarsi Koefoed 1955 in honor of the Michael Sars, Norwegian research vessel from which holotype was collected, in turn named after Norwegian theologian and biologist Michael Sars (1805–1869)

Scopelarchus stephensi Johnson 1974 in honor of environmental biologist John S. Stephens, Jr. (1932–2022), for his numerous contributions to the biology of fishes and to the education of scientists