Lepidophanes (Lampanyctus) petrolifer (David, 1943)
Upper Miocene (Tortonian)
Puente Formation
Alhambra
California, USA.

Lanternfish are among the most abundant vertebrates in today’s oceans, and fossil examples like Lepidophanes petrolifer provide important insight into the early evolution of modern deep sea ecosystems during the Cenozoic Era.
44mm lanternfish on 70mm slab