scotophil
/ˈskəʊtə(ʊ)fɪl/(also scotophile, skotophil, skotophile) Biology
adjective
Designating a phase of a diurnal cycle during which consistent darkness is required for certain developmental processes, such as flowering in plants and diapause in insects; of or relating to such a phase. Contrasted with photophil.
Origin
1940s; earliest use found in Herbage Abstracts. From scoto- + -phile, after German skotophil. Compare photophil.