| Family | Scientific Name | Author | Year | Common Name |
| Myctophidae | Diaphus lucidus | (Goode & Bean) | 1896 | Spotlight Lanternfish |
All Diaphus Species: Three or more Prc (1 may be at or above lateral midline at base of caudal peduncle). Dn present; either 2 horizontal Pol near lateral line or VO1-3 on a straight ascending line with VO4-5 level. VO1-3 on a straight, inclined, ascending line with VO4-5 level; caudal glands absent; 1 Pol. More than 1 pair of luminous glands on head (Ant, Dn, Vn, or So); usually a luminous scale at PLO (FAO 2002).
Diaphus lucidus
Unique Characteristics: So absent. Dn ranging in size from smaller than body photophore to much larger than nasal rosette, in more-or-less deep recess and directed forward; Vn may be (a) restricted to ventral margin of orbit, (b) restricted to anteroventral margin of orbit, (c) extending dorsally to reach Dn, or (d) spread over most of entire area of snout. Vn extending dorsally between anterior margin of orbit and nasal apparatus, in contact or confluent with Dn. Dn equal in size or larger than nasal rosette, round or rectangular, often reaching median ethmoid crest; anterior end of supraorbital ridge not produced into spine-like process. Head more than 1.2 times as long as deep. Total gill rakers 20 or less (rarely 21). Dn very large, about 1/2 eye diameter, extending dorsally well above level of dorsal margin of orbit and in adults reaching median ethmoid crest; body photophores noticeably small; dentary with inner series of densely set, small teeth; Ant absent (FAO 2020).
Similar Species:
Diaphus bertelseni – Biglights Lampfish
Diaphus brachycephalus – Shorthead Lanternfish
Diaphus dumerilii – Disjunctlight Lanternfish
Diaphus fragilis – Fragile Headlightfish
Diaphus garmani – Wide Lanternfish
Diaphus metopoclampus – Bluntnose Lanternfish
Diaphus minax – “Minax” Lanternfish
Diaphus mollis – Soft Lanternfish
Diaphus perspicillatus – Flatface Lanternfish
Diaphus problematicus – Problematic Headlightfish
Diaphus rafinesquii – Lightscale Lampfish
Diaphus splendidus – Splendid Lanternfish
Diaphus subtilis – Flabby Lanternfish
Diaphus taaningi – Slopewater Lanternfish
Diaphus termophilus – Warmwater Headlightfish
References:
(FAO 2002). The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Volumes 1-3. K.E. Carpenter (ed.). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. 4099p. (Available at: http://www.fao.org/3/y4160e/y4160e00.htm).
(FAO 2020). Sutton, T.T., P.A. Hulley, R. Wienerroither, D. Zaera-Perez, and J.R. Paxton. 2020. Identification guide to the mesopelagic fishes of the central and south east Atlantic Ocean. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. Rome, FAO. 2020. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb0365en.
Goode, G.B. and T.H. Bean. 1896. Oceanic ichthyology, a treatise on the deep-sea and pelagic fishes of the world, based chiefly upon the collections made by the steamers Blake, Albatross, and Fish Hawk in the northwestern Atlantic, with an atlas containing 417 figures. Smithsonian Institution, U.S. National Museum, Special Bulletin. No. 30.
Nafpaktitis, B.G. 1966. Two new fishes of the myctophid genus Diaphus from the Atlantic Ocean. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Volume 133 (No. 9): 401-424.