| Family | Scientific Name | Author | Year | Common Name |
| Myctophidae | Diaphus minax | Nafpaktitis | 1968 | “Minax” 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 minax
Unique Characteristics: So absent, inner series of teeth on posterior part of premaxillary of various sizes, sometimes distinctly recurved; vomer with a small round or oval patch of teeth on reach lateral tip of the chevron. Dn well defined, set in large, cup-shaped recess above nasal apparatus and directed forward; Dn equal in size to or larger than nasal rosette, round or rectangular, often reaching medial ethmoid crest. Vn restricted to antero-ventral or ventral aspect of orbit, or spreading along anterior orbital margin, often reaching the Dn. Vn also very large, spreading along entire area in front of eye, coming in contact with Dn, its ventral portion extending at least a short distance along lower orbital margin; Ant absent. Head about as deep as it is long; diameter of eye two times in length of upper jaw or less; body photophores of moderate size; D 14 (13), A 14 (13) (Nafpaktitis 1968).
Diaphus minax is readily distinguishable for D. bertelseni and D. taaningi by its larger Dn and, especially Vn, and from D. lucidus by its smaller Dn, shorter and deeper head, lower VLO, SAO3 and Pol and lower numbers of dorsal and anal rays (Nafpaktitis 1968).
Similar Species:
Diaphus bertelseni – Biglights Lampfish
Diaphus brachycephalus – Shorthead Lanternfish
Diaphus dumerilii – Disjunctlight Lanternfish
Diaphus fragilis – Fragile Headlightfish
Diaphus garmani – Wide Lanternfish
Diaphus lucidus – Spotlight Lanternfish
Diaphus metopoclampus – Bluntnose 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.
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.
Nafpaktitis, B.G. 1968. Taxonomy and distribution of the lanternfishes, genera Lobianchia and Diaphus, in the North Atlantic. Dana Report No. 73: 1-131, Pls. 1-2.