ABSTRACT
This family is represented by 6 genera in our area with Vinciguerria with its 3 species (attenuata, poweria, and nimbaria) being the most abundant and common (Vinciguerria together with Cyclothone are the most abundant vertebrates on earth). The other members of this family are rarely encountered in ichthyoplankton collections and the early life stages of one of them, Polymetme thaeocoryla, are unknown. The other family members are monotypic and include Pollichthys mauli, Ichthyococcus ovatus, Woodsia nonsuchae, and Yarella blackfordi. Adults are small (usually <10 cm), compressed, slender (except I. ovatus), and bioluminescent and are meso-and bathypelagic although adults of P. thaeocoryla are benthic on the continental slope.
