Morphology of larvae of 6 Lampanyctus species in the central south pacific ocean with notes on their occurrence

Abstract

Larvae of 6 species of Lampanyctus (family Myctophidae) collected during the 34th cruise of RV Dmitry Mendeleev in 1985 in the central South Pacific Ocean (27–48°S) are described. Discussed in more detail are diagnostic characters for 4 of these species, whose morphology has been insufficiently studied: Cripplefin lanternfish (L. achirus), southern lanternfish (L. australis), L. gibbsi or L. wisneri, and Lampanyctus sp. D. Additional data from larvae caught during the 16th cruise of RV Dmitry Mendeleev (in the southwestern Pacific Ocean) and 29th cruise of RV Akademik Ioffe (in the South Atlantic Ocean) are incorporated in the discussion.