Anomalopidae

views updated

Anomalopidae (lantern-eye fish; subclass Actinopterygii, order Beryciformes) A family of primarily warm-water, Indo-Pacific fish that have a cream-coloured light organ beneath each eye. The fish can turn their ‘lanterns’ off at will by masking the light organ with a piece of black skin. Anomalops katopteron can ‘flick’ its light at the rate of about four to five times a minute.