During June 2017, we collected two postflexion larvae (6.01 and 7.56 mm in standard length [SL]) and two juveniles (7.72 and 9.62 mm SL) belonging to Myctophidae in the waters of Jejudo Island. Those four individuals were identified as Diaphus garmani, which had not been reported in Korea. They were distinguished from Benthosema pterotum by melanophores in the abdominal cavity (absent in D. garmani vs. present in B. pterotum) and the development of photophores (developed in D. garmani vs. rudimentary in B. pterotum) when shorter than 10.0 mm SL. Analysis of 16S rRNA sequences showed that the sequences of four individuals matched those of adult D. garmani (Kimura 2-parameter distance: 0.6-0.8%). This is the first record of larvae and juveniles of D. garmani in Korean waters, and we propose a new Korean name, Gar-ma-ni-sat-bi-neul-chi.

Although there have been many studies on the taxonomy of lanternfishes, morphological similarities during larval and juvenile stages make it difficult to identify species and understand their early life histories. During an ichthyoplankton survey in the Northwest Pacific (East Sea, East China Sea) between 2017 and 2020, a research vessel from the National Institute of Fisheries Science collected larvae and juveniles that belonged to the family Myctophidae using a bongo net. To accurately identify species, mtDNA sequences encoding cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S ribosomal RNA were obtained and compared with those of adult voucher specimens.These comparisons led to the identification of four previously unknown larval lanternfish species (Diaphus chrysorhynchus, Diaphus suborbitalis, Diaphus watasei and Lampanyctus fernae), which are described here for the first time. The authors also describe the cryptic diversity of Benthosema pterotum and provide identification keys for 10 species of larval lanternfish, in accordance with their developmental stages.