ABSTRACT
The stephanoberyciform family Megalomycteridae includes three or four genera, five described species with four or five valid, and two or three undescribed species, found in meso-bathypelagic tropical and subtropical waters of all major oceans. Three species occur in the western central North Atlantic. Distinctive features include the presence of small, cycloid, non-imbricate scales in some (most?) species, no fin spines, pelvic fin thoracic with 1-3 rays or absent, posterior and opposite dorsal and anal fins, elongate body and relatively short head with very large snout, massive nasal organ, and horizontal to slightly oblique jaws not extending behind eye. A more detailed description of the family and a key to and figures of three WCNA species are in Paxton & Trnski (2003). Figures of other species are in Myers & Freihofer (1966) and other original descriptions. Becker (1981) described a specimen of Ataxolepis sp. A from the Caribbean that differs from A. apus in having one pelvic ray and only 45 vertebrae; meristics of this specimen are included in Table Megalomycteridae 1.
