Review of the genus Photoblepharon (Actinopterygii: Beryciformes: Anomalopidae)

Abstract

The flashlight fishes of the genus Photoblepharon (Family: Anomalopidae) are herein reviewed, in order to clarify their taxonomy. The genus includes two species Photoblepharon palpebratum (Boddaert, 1781) from the eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean and Photoblepharon steinitzi Abe et Haneda, 1973 from the Red Sea, Oman, and western Indian Ocean. The study was initiated because the holotype of P. steinitzi was lost. Neotypes for these two species are designated due to the loss of the type specimens of both species and problems with the identity of the two species. A key for these species is provided. Several biological, ecological and other uses of the light organ are given for P. steinitzi from the Gulf of Aqaba. Observations in nature and experiments in the aquarium are described.

Keywords

• flashlight fish
• Photoblepharon palpebratum
• Photo