Identification of larval stages of lantern fish in Iranian waters of Oman Sea

The fish larvae identification survey was carried out in Iranian waters of Oman Sea from Hormuz strait to Gwader Bay in 2009 at pre and post monsoon periods. Sampling was done by plankton net with 300 μ mesh size. Totally, 168 specimens were collected that belong to the three genera Benthosema، Diaphus and Lampadena. Two species named Benthosema pterotum, B. fibulatum were identified. B. pterotum has pigment on the tip of the lower jaw and snout whereas B. fibulatum lacks these discriminative characters. Two genera Diaphus and Lampadena have a row of melanophores in post-anal region ventrally which discriminate them from Benthosema. Diaphus is separated from Lampadena with a small melanophore at the hypural.