- Not to be confused with Lophiiformes Anglerfish (some of which have bioluminescent "lanterns" which grow from their foreheads).
Lanternfishes (or
myctophids, from the
Greek mykter, "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. They 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.
