White-spotted lantern fish

The white-spotted lantern fish (Diaphus rafinesquii), also called Rafinesque's lanternfish, is a species of fish in the family Myctophidae.

Etymology
Its specific name refers to the polymath Constantine Samuel Rafinesque (1783–1840).

Description
The white-spotted lantern fish is silvery in colour, spotted with photophores, with a maximum length of 9 cm.

Habitat
Diaphus rafinesquii is bathypelagic or mesopelagic and oceanodromous, living at depths of 40 - 2173 m in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. During the day, it is typically found at 325 - 750 m and at night, the adults are at 300 - 600 m and the young at 40 - 200 m.

Behaviour
Males are slightly larger; spawning is in autumn and winter.