Material examined (non-types only)
ANGOLA BASIN • 2 ♀♀ subad. (BL = 4.8–5.0 mm), 2 juv.; 20°3.520′ S, 3°4.710′ E to 20°3.833′ S, 3°4.980′ E; surface; 15 Jul. 2000; DIVA-1 exped., #329; plankton net, Bongo (Bo1); ZMH 58271 • 1 juv. (BL = 3.1 mm, in 2 parts); 19°58.517′ S, 2°59.366′ E; bottom depth 5493 m; 13 Jul. 2000; DIVA-1 exped., #324; box corer (KG2); ZMH 58270.
Not specified by H. Milne Edwards (1837), who reported this species upon first description from the North Atlantic anywhere between Madeira and the Antilles.
Mainly circumtropical, in temperate to tropical waters of all large oceans including the Red Sea, Mediterranean, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, 45° N to 40° S (W.M. Tattersall 1923, 1951; O.S. Tattersall 1955, 1962; Ii 1964; Stuck et al. 1979; Price et al. 1986; Petryashov 2005a; Murano & Fukuoka 2008; Price & Heard 2009; Miyashita & Calliari 2014; San Vicente 2017). Holopelagic, mainly offshore, also nearshore, mostly taken with plankton samples during the night in 0–50 m depth. Most of the population descends during the daytime down to a so far documented lower limit of Ĺ 550 m. The present record from station 329 was taken with a Bongo net at the sea surface during the day. The record from station 324 was taken during the night with a box corer closed at the bottom in 5493 m depth (see Discussion).