Bright Lanternfish, Myctophum phengodes

Scientific name: Myctophum phengodes
  • Updated
    20/04/22
  • Read time
    2 minutes
Bright Lanternfish, Myctophum phengodes Click to enlarge image
A Bright Lanternfish caught in a dipnet by Georgia Poyner while out fishing for Broadbill Swordfish off Narooma. New South Wales, June 2015. The silvery-coloured, circular 'spots' are photophores (light organs). Image: Georgia Poyner
© Georgia Poyner

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Myctophum
    Species
    phengodes
    Family
    Myctophidae
Bright Lanternfish, Myctophum phengodes
A Bright Lanternfish caught in a dipnet by Georgia Poyner while out fishing for Broadbill Swordfish off Narooma. New South Wales, June 2015. The silvery-coloured, circular 'spots' are photophores (light organs). Image: Georgia Poyner
© Georgia Poyner

A Bright Lanternfish caught in a dipnet by Georgia Poyner while out fishing for Broadbill Swordfish off Narooma. New South Wales, June 2015. The silvery-coloured, circular 'spots' are photophores (light organs).

Notes

Thank you to John Paxton for identifying the fish. John said that the photophores are the primary characters used to separate the different species of lanternfishes. For more information see the reference below.

References

  1. Gomon, M.F., Bray, D. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 2008. The Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Reed New Holland. Pp. 928.