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.

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

^ Proujan. C., 1971, Secrets of The Sea, London: Reader's Digest Association Limited, Page 62
^ Why are the eyes of larval Black Dragonfish on stalks? - Australian Museum
^ WoRMS – World Register of Marine Species – Stylophthalmus
^ WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Stylophthalmus lobiancoi Mazzarelli, 1909
^ WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Stylophthalmus mediterraneus Mazzarelli, 1909
^ WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Stylophthalmus paradoxus Brauer, 1902

[1] Proujan. C., 1971, Secrets of The Sea, London: Reader's 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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