Stylophthalmus

Stylophthalmus (meaning 'stem-eye') was a name used for what was previously believed to be a genus of fish with eyes perched upon periscopic stalks, known in some cases to be almost one third of the length of the animal's actual body.[1] It is now recognised that all species in this genus are the fish larvae[2][3] of already named, distantly related fish in the orders Stomiiformes and Myctophiformes which may have developed this same trait as a result of convergent evolution. Thus, Stylophthalmus is an invalid name.

Stylophthalmus paradoxus, now recognized as the larval form of Idiacanthus fasciola

Species
  • Stylophthalmus lobiancoi, Mazzarelli, 1909, now recognised as a junior synonym of Myctophum punctatum, Rafinesque, 1810[4]
  • Stylophthalmus mediterraneus, Mazzarelli, 1810, now recognised as a junior synonym of Symbolophorus veranyi, Moreau, 1888[5]
  • Stylophthalmus paradoxus, Brauer, 1902, now recognised as a junior synonym of Idiacanthus fasciola, Peters, 1877[6]

References
  1. Proujan. C., 1971, Secrets of The Sea, London: Readers Digest Association Limited, Page 62
  2. Why are the eyes of larval Black Dragonfish on stalks? - Australian Museum
  3. WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Stylophthalmus
  4. WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Stylophthalmus lobiancoi Mazzarelli, 1909
  5. WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Stylophthalmus mediterraneus Mazzarelli, 1909
  6. WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Stylophthalmus paradoxus Brauer, 1902
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