What is bioluminescence and examples

Bioluminescence is the ability to produce light through a chemical reaction involving oxygen and a luciferin. This is a molecule capable of emitting energy in the form of photons when it comes into contact with oxygen molecules, thus originating flashes of light. In this process, a luciferase also intervenes, a molecule that makes it possible for this chemical reaction to occur.

Of all the groups of bioluminescent organisms, more than four fifths, that is to say the majority, live in marine ecosystems . This fact is due to the fact that, given the conditions of darkness and depth of the seas and oceans, the emission of light is a good strategy for defense or, on the contrary, as a weapon to attract prey.

But why and for what do biolumniscent organisms resort to light? The phenomenon occurs quite simply, because with the slightest contact with any other organism or object, or even if the sea water is agitated, these organisms emit light .

On numerous occasions they do it as a camouflage strategy, being able to turn on, turn off or even regulate the light they emit. In other cases, they emit light in order to scare off a potential predator and thus have more time to escape. On the other hand, there are cases in which these animals make use of bioluminescence to adapt to the place where they are and attract their prey. This is the case of living organisms that inhabit abyssal plains, submerged regions in the depths of the ocean that, due to the lack of natural light, force the species that live there to make use of this phenomenon.

If you want to know more information about the Abyssal Plains: what they are and characteristics , take a look at this other article.

Among the bioluminescent life forms, we can distinguish those that inhabit terrestrial ecosystems and those that do so in marine ecosystems, the latter group being the most diverse and numerous, responsible for true light shows at sea. Here are some examples of bioluminescent organisms :

Organisms with bioluminescence in soil

• The famous fireflies ( Lampyridae Family ): they make their abdomens glow to look for reproductive mates during the summer nights.
• Arachnocampa luminosa mosquito larvae from New Zealand.
• Within millipedes, the genus Motyxia uses bioluminescence as a warning signal to its nocturnal predators.
• Also noteworthy are some bioluminescent mushrooms, plants and fungi such as the Mycena lucentipes species , a small fungus that grows on the wood of rainforest trees in Brazil and Puerto Rico. If you want to discover more examples of Glow-in-the-Dark Plants, be sure to visit this new AgroCorrn article.

Marine bioluminescent organisms

• Ostracods (animals the size of sesame seeds with legs that flash to find a mate).
• Dinoflagellates, like the dust -sized Pyrodinium bahamense, emit light whenever water churns around them, making undulating motions with their flagella.
• The luminous worms commonly known as “green bombers” (they inhabit the abyssal bottoms and expel sacks of green light as bombs in threatening situations).
• Jellyfish such as Aequorea victoria and ctenophores such as Mnemiopsis leidyi emit light thanks to the action of photoproteins that are stimulated due to darkness.
• The firefly squid ( Watasenia scintillans) , as well as the vampire squid ( Vampyroteusthis infernalis ), both of which use bioluminescence to attract their prey.
• Shrimp such as those of the Sergestes similis species , capable of regulating the amount of light they emit depending on the brightness of the water that surrounds them.
• Some fish, among which the demon fish (Family Stomiidae ) stand out in the deep sea . These animals are capable of emitting red light, as opposed to the blue or green light that characterizes the bioluminescence of other organisms.
• Luminescent radiolaria, invertebrate animals that usually live in colonies on structures made of silica skeletons.
• Luminous bacteria that constitute structures and that some species of hunter fish use as a decoy.

When large numbers of organisms that produce light come together with the movement of water, moving rapidly, they light up like shooting stars. In different parts of the world we can attend such a magical spectacle of nature:

Bioluminescence in Holbox

On the northeast coast of the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico), in a Caribbean environment, we can discover in Holbox that during the darkness of the night a large number of marine bioluminescent microorganisms accumulate on the coast emitting light.

Bioluminescence in Costa Rica

Along the Puntarenitas beach, after sunset, you can enjoy the magical phenomenon produced by living organisms that emit blue light and leave a beautiful trail of sparkles.

We can also enjoy the amazing phenomenon of bioluminescence on the coasts of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques, in Koh Rong (Cambodia), in Toyama Bay (Honshu, Japan), as well as in the lagoons that form inside the Waitomo Caves in New Zealand.