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Marine Bioluminescence
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A variety of sea creatures produce light by a variety
of chemistries.
Bioluminescence serves many purposes in the
marine environment.
Variety
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Microscopic: Bacteria, dinoflagellates,
Radiolarians
Anthozoa: Sea fans, Soft corals, Sea pens, Sea
psansies
Molluscs: Sea slugs, Boring bivalves, Cuttlefish,
Squid,Vampire squid, Octopods
Variety (continued)
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Arthropods: Copepods, Ostracods Malacostraca,
Opossum shrimp, Amphipods, Euphausiids
(Krill), Decapod shrimp
Hemichordates (Acorn worms)
Chordates Tunicates: Sea squirts; Pyrosomes
(Fire cylinders); Larvaceans
Vertebrates:Sharks, Anchovies, Gulper eels
Some of the molecules
Purpose of Bioluminescence
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It can light the way to find food (flashlight fish)
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Attract prey (angler fish, viper fish)
Purpose of Bioluminescence (continued)
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It can be used to attract a mate (the loosejaw
fish uses light in its cheeks
Purpose of Bioluminescence (continued)
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It can use bioluminescence for protection (deep
sea shrimp project light into the approaching
predator, temporarily blinding it)
Acknowledgements
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Bar Harbor Bioscience: http://www.bioscience-explained.org/EN1.1/pdf/BiolumEN.pdf
Univ. Calif Santa Barbara http://www.lifesci.ucsb.edu/~biolum/organism/milkysea.html