Hidden beneath the ocean’s surface is one of the most abundant groups of vertebrates on Earth, the lanternfish, a small deep-sea fish that plays an enormous role in keeping marine ecosystems healthy.
With at least 250 species worldwide, many of which occur in Australian waters, lanternfishes spend their days in the deep ocean before rising towards the surface each night to feed.
Their remarkable daily movements are part of one of the largest animal migrations on the planet.
Why it matters
Lanternfishes are essential to the health and functioning of ocean ecosystems.
🐟 They provide an important food source for larger fish, squid and seabirds
🌊 They help transfer energy between the ocean’s surface and deeper waters
🌙 Their nightly feeding migrations contribute to the movement of carbon from surface waters to the deep ocean
🕸️ They play a key role in supporting marine food webs across the globe
Despite their small size, lanternfishes are among the ocean’s most important connectors, linking different parts of the marine ecosystem through their movements and feeding habits.
Fun facts
🤓 Lanternfishes get their name from light-producing organs called photophores on their bodies
🤓 Their glowing photophores help them camouflage in dark waters and communicate with one another
🤓 Although they are typically only 3 to 35 centimetres long, they are among the most abundant vertebrates on Earth
🤓 Some species travel more than 500 metres every day during their vertical migrations in search of food
A deeper reflection
The lanternfish reminds us that some of the most important species on Earth are also among the least visible.
Few people will ever see a lanternfish, yet these tiny deep-sea animals help sustain marine food webs and play an unexpected role in the global carbon cycle.
Despite their abundance, lanternfishes face growing pressures from deep-sea fishing, climate change and light pollution, which can disrupt their natural migration patterns.
In a country with more than 600,000 native species, many found nowhere else on Earth, the lanternfish is a reminder that biodiversity extends far beyond what we can easily see and that even hidden species can have global importance.
How we protect our oceans today will influence the health of marine ecosystems for generations to come.
From Wonder to Action
Learn & understand
Explore how biodiversity, climate, and land systems are deeply connected through our workshops with People For Nature.
Create your Nature Oasis
Plant native species to restore habitat and support the insects, birds, and wildlife that depend on them.
Join citizen science
Record native species around you on iNaturalist and contribute to real conservation data.
Special thanks to Simon Andrews, Ambassador for People For Nature, for helping shape this story)
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