Lanternfish otoliths (Myctophidae, Teleostei) from the Miocene of Japan Author Schwarzhans, Werner Zoological Museum, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Kobenhavn, Denmark & Ahrensburger Weg 103, 22359 Hamburg, Germany wwschwarz@aol.com Author Ohe, Fumio Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Nara 630 - 8577, Japan Author Tsuchiya, Yuki Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan Author Ujihara, Atsushi Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan text Zitteliana 2022 2022-06-10 96 103 134 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zitteliana.96.83571 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zitteliana.96.83571 2747-8106-96-103 5B10FFF604074E09B986F931635E9BCC 4E0188A4D3D7563C980CB7C5B9424F3C Diaphus biatlanticus (Weiler, 1959) Nyctophus biatlanticus 1959 Nyctophus biatlanticus - Weiler: figs 9, 10. Diaphus biatlanticus 2013 Diaphus biatlanticus (Weiler, 1959) - Schwarzhans and Aguilera: pl. 11, figs 1-8 (see there for further synonymies). Material. 7 specimens ; 5 specimens (figured specimen SMF PO 101.145), Miya River at Numa , Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture , Takakura FM , levels MS 27, MS 52, h, late Burdigalian , diatom zones 3A-3B ; 2 specimens (SMF OP 101.144), Okuna , Mizunami City, Gifu Prefecture , Oidawara FM , early Langhian , diatom zone 4A . Discussion. Diaphus biatlanticus has thus far only been reported from the early to middle Miocene of tropical America (Trinidad and Venezuela). Its otoliths are characterized by a very regular oval outline, a short rostrum, a short antirostrum and a minute excisura, a relatively long ostium compared to the cauda (OCL:CCL = 2.0-2.4), and a convex inner face combined with a flat to slightly concave outer face. The rare occurrence of the species in the middle Miocene of Japan indicates that it had a much wider geographical distribution than previously believed.