ABSTRACT
The family Melanostomiidae is the largest stomiiform family, with 13 genera and about 80 species in our area. One monotypic genus, Bathysphaera, was described by Beebe (1932) from a bathyshere observation and its status remains unclear and is usually excluded from most accounts. The family was reviewed by Morrow & Gibbs (1964) and defined by them as follows: body long, slender & slightly compressed; skin naked with minute photophores scattered over the head & body, especially in vertical rows between myomeres; two rows of photophores along ventral body. The head is short and the jaws large with a chin barbel present. The dorsal and anal fins are placed far posteriorly leaving little or no on the caudal peduncle. The adults have been taken from near the surface down to 4500 m, but most are in the upper 1000 m. As with other Stomioidea, they are rarely taken, especially the younger stages.
