Other identification tools | FishBase

Fish Identification: Find Species


Family: Sternoptychidae Marine hatchetfishes



(See list of species below)


Select Class:     Select Order:   
Select Family: Subfamily:     Select Genus:
Select Ocean (marine/brackish) or Continent (freshwater):
                                                          Specify a country:
Total number of spines in dorsal and anal fins (optional)

73 species (see list below)

1 of 1 Jump to:
No picture found
Western Central Pacific.

 
Araiophos eastropas
[]

Photo by Mincarone, M.M.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 7.7 cm SL
Argyripnus atlanticus Maul, 1952

Photo by Mincarone, M.M.
 
Argyripnus atlanticus
[]
No picture found
Eastern Central Pacific
Max. Length 8.9 cm SL
 
Argyripnus brocki
[Brock's bristle-mouth fish]
No picture found
Southeast Pacific
 
Argyripnus electronus
[]
No picture found
Pacific Ocean.
Max. Length 8.9 cm SL
 
Argyripnus ephippiatus
[Gilbert & Cramer's bristle-mouth fish]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 7.3 cm SL
 
Argyripnus hulleyi
[Reunion's bristle-mouth fish]
No picture found
Southwest Pacific.
Max. Length 14 cm TL
 
Argyripnus iridescens
[Brilliant pearlside]
No picture found
Indo-West Pacific. off A
Max. Length 7.9 cm SL
 
Argyripnus pharos
[]

Photo by Orlov, A.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 8.3 cm SL
Argyropelecus aculeatus Valenciennes, 1850

Photo by Orlov, A.
 
Argyropelecus aculeatus
[Lovely hatchetfish]

Photo by JAMARC

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 8.4 cm SL
Argyropelecus affinis Garman, 1899

Photo by JAMARC
 
Argyropelecus affinis
[Pacific hatchet fish]

Photo by Dolgov, A.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 12 cm SL
Argyropelecus gigas Norman, 1930

Photo by Dolgov, A.
 
Argyropelecus gigas
[Hatchetfish]

Photo by Fischer, L.G.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 5.1 cm TL
Argyropelecus hemigymnus Cocco, 1829

Photo by Fischer, L.G.
 
Argyropelecus hemigymnus
[Half-naked hatchetfish]

Photo by Ramjohn, D.D.

Western Pacific
Max. Length 5.9 cm TL
Argyropelecus lychnus Garman, 1899

Photo by Ramjohn, D.D.
 
Argyropelecus lychnus
[Tropical hatchetfish]

Photo by Dolgov, A.

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 9 cm TL
Argyropelecus olfersii (Cuvier, 1829)

Photo by Dolgov, A.
 
Argyropelecus olfersii
[]

Photo by JAMARC

Atlantic, Indian and Paci
Max. Length 7 cm TL
Argyropelecus sladeni Regan, 1908

Photo by JAMARC
 
Argyropelecus sladeni
[Sladen's hatchet fish]
No picture found
Indo-Pacific. Northeast
Max. Length 5.7 cm TL
 
Danaphos oculatus
[Bottlelights]
No picture found
Northeast Atlantic
 
Maurolicus amethystinopunctatus
[]
No picture found
Southwest Pacific
Max. Length 5 cm SL
 
Maurolicus australis
[Pennant pearlside]
No picture found
Southeast Pacific
Max. Length 3.4 cm SL
 
Maurolicus breviculus
[]
No picture found
North Pacific
Max. Length 6.8 cm SL
 
Maurolicus imperatorius
[Emperor seamount lightfish]
No picture found
Southeast Atlantic
Max. Length 6.3 cm SL
 
Maurolicus inventionis
[]
No picture found
Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 5 cm SL
 
Maurolicus japonicus
[North Pacific lightfish]
No picture found
Eastern Indian Ocean
Max. Length 4.4 cm SL
 
Maurolicus javanicus
[Javan pearlside]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 3.2 cm SL
 
Maurolicus kornilovorum
[]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 3.4 cm SL
 
Maurolicus mucronatus
[]

Photo by Svensen, E.

Sub-Arctic, and sub-Antar
Max. Length 8 cm TL
Maurolicus muelleri (Gmelin, 1789)

Photo by Svensen, E.
 
Maurolicus muelleri
[Silvery lightfish]

Photo by Diaz, M.L.

Southeast Pacific
Max. Length 5.4 cm SL
Maurolicus parvipinnis Vaillant, 1888

Photo by Diaz, M.L.
 
Maurolicus parvipinnis
[]
No picture found
Southeast Pacific
Max. Length 5.9 cm SL
 
Maurolicus rudjakovi
[]

Photo by Fischer, L.G.

Southwest Atlantic
Max. Length 5.2 cm SL
Maurolicus stehmanni Parin & Kobyliansky, 1993

Photo by Fischer, L.G.
 
Maurolicus stehmanni
[]
No picture found
Southeast Atlantic
Max. Length 4.7 cm SL
 
Maurolicus walvisensis
[]
No picture found
Western Atlantic
Max. Length 5.2 cm SL
 
Maurolicus weitzmani
[Atlantic pearlside]
No picture found
Western Pacific
Max. Length 3.5 cm SL
 
Polyipnus aquavitus
[Aquavit hatchetfish]
No picture found
Eastern Indian Ocean
Max. Length 6.2 cm SL
 
Polyipnus asper
[]

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory

Western Central Atlantic
Max. Length 8.1 cm SL
Polyipnus asteroides Schultz, 1938

Photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory
 
Polyipnus asteroides
[]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 2.0 cm SL
 
Polyipnus bruuni
[]
No picture found
Western Atlantic
Max. Length 6 cm SL
 
Polyipnus clarus
[Slope hatchetfish]
No picture found
Western Pacific
Max. Length 2.8 cm SL
 
Polyipnus danae
[]
No picture found
Southwest Pacific
Max. Length 7 cm SL
 
Polyipnus elongatus
[]
No picture found
Western Pacific
Max. Length 4.0 cm SL
 
Polyipnus fraseri
[]

Photo by SFSA

Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 6 cm SL
Polyipnus indicus Schultz, 1961

Photo by SFSA
 
Polyipnus indicus
[]
No picture found
Southeast Pacific
Max. Length 6.4 cm SL
 
Polyipnus inermis
[]
No picture found
Southwest Pacific
Max. Length 8.2 cm SL
 
Polyipnus kiwiensis
[Kiwi hatchetfish]
No picture found
Western Atlantic
Max. Length 4.4 cm SL
 
Polyipnus laternatus
[]
No picture found
Western Pacific
Max. Length 8.8 cm SL
 
Polyipnus latirastrus
[Combside hatchetfish]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean
 
Polyipnus limatulus
[]
No picture found
Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 9.7 cm SL
 
Polyipnus matsubarai
[]
No picture found
Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 5.5 cm SL
 
Polyipnus meteori
[]
No picture found
Western Indian Ocean
Max. Length 8.3 cm SL
 
Polyipnus nuttingi
[Nutting's hatchet fish]
No picture found
Western Pacific
Max. Length 2.7 cm SL
 
Polyipnus oluolus
[]

Photo by SFSA

Western Indian Ocean. We
Max. Length 5.6 cm SL
Polyipnus omphus Baird, 1971

Photo by SFSA
 
Polyipnus omphus
[]
No picture found
Western Central Pacific
Max. Length 4.7 cm SL
 
Polyipnus ovatus
[]
No picture found
Western Pacific.
Max. Length 6.1 cm SL
 
Polyipnus parini
[]
No picture found
Western Central Pacific
Max. Length 4.9 cm SL
 
Polyipnus paxtoni
[Paxton's hatchetfish]

Photo by DESCNA

Eastern Atlantic
Max. Length 5 cm SL
Polyipnus polli Schultz, 1961

Photo by DESCNA
 
Polyipnus polli
[Round hatchetfish]
No picture found
Indo-West Pacific.
Max. Length 6.6 cm SL
 
Polyipnus ruggeri
[Rugby hatchetfish]
No picture found
Indo-West Pacific
Max. Length 6.0 cm SL
 
Polyipnus soelae
[Soela hatchetfish]

Photo by National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, Taiwan

Western Pacific
Max. Length 6 cm SL
Polyipnus spinifer Borodulina, 1979

Photo by National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, Taiwan
 
Polyipnus spinifer
[]
No picture found
Western Cental Pacific
Max. Length 8.5 cm SL
 
Polyipnus spinosus
[Spiny hatchetfish]

Photo by Senou, H.

Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 5.3 cm SL
Polyipnus stereope Jordan & Starks, 1904

Photo by Senou, H.
 
Polyipnus stereope
[]
No picture found
Northwest Pacific
Max. Length 3.7 cm SL
 
Polyipnus surugaensis
[]
No picture found
Eastern Indian Ocean
Max. Length 7.2 cm SL
 
Polyipnus tridentifer
[Three-spined hatchetfish]

Photo by Gloerfelt-Tarp, T.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 4.7 cm SL
Polyipnus triphanos Schultz, 1938

Photo by Gloerfelt-Tarp, T.
 
Polyipnus triphanos
[Threelight hatchetfish]
No picture found
Western Pacific
Max. Length 3.5 cm SL
 
Polyipnus unispinus
[]
No picture found
Western Atlantic
Max. Length 6 cm SL
 
Sonoda megalophthalma
[]
No picture found
Western Central Atlantic
 
Sonoda paucilampa
[]

Photo by Orlov, A.

Atlantic, Indian and Paci
Max. Length 5.5 cm SL
Sternoptyx diaphana Hermann, 1781

Photo by Orlov, A.
 
Sternoptyx diaphana
[Diaphanous hatchet fish]

Photo by Reyes, P.

Indo-Pacific
Max. Length 4.5 cm SL
Sternoptyx obscura Garman, 1899

Photo by Reyes, P.
 
Sternoptyx obscura
[]

Photo by Mincarone, M.M.

Widely distributed in the
Max. Length 6 cm SL
Sternoptyx pseudobscura Baird, 1971

Photo by Mincarone, M.M.
 
Sternoptyx pseudobscura
[Highlight hatchetfish]

Photo by Colombo, G.L.A.

Circumglobal in subtropic
Max. Length 6 cm SL
Sternoptyx pseudodiaphana Borodulina, 1977

Photo by Colombo, G.L.A.
 
Sternoptyx pseudodiaphana
[False oblique hatchetfish]
No picture found
Western Central Pacific
 
Thorophos euryops
[]
No picture found
Western Central Pacific
 
Thorophos nexilis
[]
No picture found
Western Central Pacific
Max. Length 2.1 cm SL
 
Valenciennellus carlsbergi
[]

Photo by Costa, F.

Worldwide in tropical to
Max. Length 3.1 cm SL
Valenciennellus tripunctulatus (Esmark, 1871)

Photo by Costa, F.
 
Valenciennellus tripunctulatus
[Constellationfish]
73 Species of Family Sternoptychidae
(Marine hatchetfishes)
Sort by: Species Length Year
1 of 1 Jump to:
Year Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm)
1969 Araiophos eastropas Western Central Pacific.
1952 Argyripnus atlanticus Eastern Atlantic 7.7 SL
1973 Argyripnus brocki Brock's bristle-mouth fish Eastern Central Pacific 8.9 SL
1992 Argyripnus electronus Southeast Pacific
1897 Argyripnus ephippiatus Gilbert & Cramer's bristle-mouth fish Pacific Ocean. 8.9 SL
2009 Argyripnus hulleyi Reunion's bristle-mouth fish Western Indian Ocean 7.3 SL
1926 Argyripnus iridescens Brilliant pearlside Southwest Pacific. 14 TL
2003 Argyripnus pharos Indo-West Pacific. off A 7.9 SL
1850 Argyropelecus aculeatus Lovely hatchetfish Eastern Atlantic 8.3 SL
1899 Argyropelecus affinis Pacific hatchet fish Eastern Atlantic 8.4 SL
1930 Argyropelecus gigas Hatchetfish Eastern Atlantic 12 SL
1829 Argyropelecus hemigymnus Half-naked hatchetfish Eastern Atlantic 5.1 TL
1899 Argyropelecus lychnus Tropical hatchetfish Western Pacific 5.9 TL
1829 Argyropelecus olfersii Eastern Atlantic 9 TL
1908 Argyropelecus sladeni Sladen's hatchet fish Atlantic, Indian and Paci 7 TL
1899 Danaphos oculatus Bottlelights Indo-Pacific. Northeast 5.7 TL
1838 Maurolicus amethystinopunctatus Northeast Atlantic
1875 Maurolicus australis Pennant pearlside Southwest Pacific 5 SL
1993 Maurolicus breviculus Southeast Pacific 3.4 SL
1993 Maurolicus imperatorius Emperor seamount lightfish North Pacific 6.8 SL
1993 Maurolicus inventionis Southeast Atlantic 6.3 SL
1915 Maurolicus japonicus North Pacific lightfish Northwest Pacific 5 SL
1993 Maurolicus javanicus Javan pearlside Eastern Indian Ocean 4.4 SL
1993 Maurolicus kornilovorum Western Indian Ocean 3.2 SL
1871 Maurolicus mucronatus Western Indian Ocean 3.4 SL
1789 Maurolicus muelleri Silvery lightfish Sub-Arctic, and sub-Antar 8 TL
1888 Maurolicus parvipinnis Southeast Pacific 5.4 SL
1993 Maurolicus rudjakovi Southeast Pacific 5.9 SL
1993 Maurolicus stehmanni Southwest Atlantic 5.2 SL
1993 Maurolicus walvisensis Southeast Atlantic 4.7 SL
1993 Maurolicus weitzmani Atlantic pearlside Western Atlantic 5.2 SL
1971 Polyipnus aquavitus Aquavit hatchetfish Western Pacific 3.5 SL
1994 Polyipnus asper Eastern Indian Ocean 6.2 SL
1938 Polyipnus asteroides Western Central Atlantic 8.1 SL
1994 Polyipnus bruuni Western Indian Ocean 2.0 SL
1994 Polyipnus clarus Slope hatchetfish Western Atlantic 6 SL
1990 Polyipnus danae Western Pacific 2.8 SL
1979 Polyipnus elongatus Southwest Pacific 7 SL
1934 Polyipnus fraseri Western Pacific 4.0 SL
1961 Polyipnus indicus Western Indian Ocean 6 SL
1981 Polyipnus inermis Southeast Pacific 6.4 SL
1971 Polyipnus kiwiensis Kiwi hatchetfish Southwest Pacific 8.2 SL
1899 Polyipnus laternatus Western Atlantic 4.4 SL
1994 Polyipnus latirastrus Combside hatchetfish Western Pacific 8.8 SL
1998 Polyipnus limatulus Western Indian Ocean
1961 Polyipnus matsubarai Northwest Pacific 9.7 SL
1967 Polyipnus meteori Indo-Pacific 5.5 SL
1905 Polyipnus nuttingi Nutting's hatchet fish Western Indian Ocean 8.3 SL
1971 Polyipnus oluolus Western Pacific 2.7 SL
1971 Polyipnus omphus Western Indian Ocean. We 5.6 SL
1994 Polyipnus ovatus Western Central Pacific 4.7 SL
1979 Polyipnus parini Western Pacific. 6.1 SL
1989 Polyipnus paxtoni Paxton's hatchetfish Western Central Pacific 4.9 SL
1961 Polyipnus polli Round hatchetfish Eastern Atlantic 5 SL
1971 Polyipnus ruggeri Rugby hatchetfish Indo-West Pacific. 6.6 SL
1994 Polyipnus soelae Soela hatchetfish Indo-West Pacific 6.0 SL
1979 Polyipnus spinifer Western Pacific 6 SL
1887 Polyipnus spinosus Spiny hatchetfish Western Cental Pacific 8.5 SL
1904 Polyipnus stereope Northwest Pacific 5.3 SL
1990 Polyipnus surugaensis Northwest Pacific 3.7 SL
1914 Polyipnus tridentifer Three-spined hatchetfish Eastern Indian Ocean 7.2 SL
1938 Polyipnus triphanos Threelight hatchetfish Indo-Pacific 4.7 SL
1938 Polyipnus unispinus Western Pacific 3.5 SL
1959 Sonoda megalophthalma Western Atlantic 6 SL
1960 Sonoda paucilampa Western Central Atlantic
1781 Sternoptyx diaphana Diaphanous hatchet fish Atlantic, Indian and Paci 5.5 SL
1899 Sternoptyx obscura Indo-Pacific 4.5 SL
1971 Sternoptyx pseudobscura Highlight hatchetfish Widely distributed in the 6 SL
1977 Sternoptyx pseudodiaphana False oblique hatchetfish Circumglobal in subtropic 6 SL
1931 Thorophos euryops Western Central Pacific
1932 Thorophos nexilis Western Central Pacific
1931 Valenciennellus carlsbergi Western Central Pacific 2.1 SL
1871 Valenciennellus tripunctulatus Constellationfish Worldwide in tropical to 3.1 SL



Other identification tools in FishBase


Quick Identification
Identification keys
Identification by morphometrics
Identification by pictures:
          If you already know the Family, go to Search FishBase, select Family and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the family.

          If you already know the Country, go to Search FishBase, select Country and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the country.

          If you already know the Ecosystem, go to Search FishBase, select Ecosystem and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the ecosystem.
cfm script by eagbayani, 30.11.04, ,  php script by cmilitante, 05/11/2010 ,  last modified by cmilitante, 14/03/2013