Synonym: Ctenosquamata.
Name: from Ancient Greek myktér, nose and óphis, serpent.
Genera: 33; 258 species; 2 families.
Habitat: pelagic and benthopelagic zones of the deep sea.
ZoologyForm: long, slender, heavy-headed; laterally compressed.
Fish; with photophores, light organs; eyes are large to huge, generally directed straight sideways; mouth is quite large and located at the tip of the snout, its gape extends to below the eyes or even beyond.
Fins: adipose fin; pelvic fin has eight rays; branchiostegal rays is usually 6 to 12.
TaxonomyMyctophiformes is anatomically similar to the grinners,
Aulopiformes. They were also allied with
Paracanthopterygii. Other sources ally them with the
Lampriformes. Separation of the
Myctophiformes in superorder Scopelomorpha has been proposed.
Taxonomy of the
Myctophiformes among the teleosts are in need of further study.
Families • Myctophidae: Lanternfishes; Benthosema, Bolinichthys, Centrobranchus, Ceratoscopelus, Diaphus, Diogenichthys, Electrona, Gonichthys, Gymnoscopelus, Hintonia, Hygophum, Idiolychnus, Krefftichthys, Lampadena, Lampanyctodes, Lampanyctus, Lampichthys, Lepidophanes, Lobianchia, Loweina, Metelectrona, Myctophum, Nannobrachium, Notolychnus, Notoscopelus, Parvilux, Protomyctophum, Scopelopsis, Stenobrachius, Symbolophorus, Taaningichthys, Tarletonbeania, Triphoturus.
• Neoscopelidae: Blackchins; Neoscopelus, Scopelengys, Solivomer.