| Blackchins | |
|---|---|
| Large-scaled Lantern Fish Neoscopelus macrolepidotus |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Myctophiformes |
| Family: | Neoscopelidae |
| Genera | |
|
Neoscopelus |
|
The Neoscopelidae (blackchins or nesoscopelids) are a small family of deep sea fish closely related to the lanternfish. They are found in tropical and subtropical marine waters worldwide.[1]
They can be distinguished from the lanternfish only by a few technical characters, such as the position of the anal fin being far behind that of the dorsal fin. Some, but not all, species also lack the light-emitting organs (photophores) of the lanternfish. They are typically between 20 centimetres (7.9 in) and 30 centimetres (12 in) in length.[2]
There are just six known species of neoscopelid, grouped into three genera:[2]
Family Neoscopelidae