What is bioluminescence?, by definition, is when certain living organisms emit visible light. Of all the species of bioluminescent creatures discovered in the world, 80% inhabit the depths of the oceans of Planet Earth.
In fact, mainly due to the darkness, almost all creatures that live far below the surface glow. However, others are all light or seem to carry a lamp with them. These creatures are amazing, both those that live in the water and those that live on land… they are a phenomenon of nature.
If you are interested in life in the dark, continue reading this article on our site where we have researched about glow-in-the-dark animals. You will surely be surprised.
1. Jellyfish
The jellyfish is the first on our list, as it is one of the best known and most popular within this luminous group, as well as being one of the most spectacular. With his body, the jellyfish, he can create a stage full of dazzling light.
It can do this thanks to the fact that its body contains the fluorescent protein, photo-proteins and other bioluminescent proteins The jellyfish radiates light bright at night when it feels a little irritated or as a method to attract its prey that are sure to be mesmerized by its beauty.
two. Scorpion
Scorpions do not glow in the dark as such, but glow under ultraviolet light when exposed to certain wavelengths, emitting a bright blue-green fluorescence. In fact if the moonlight is very intense they could shine with it.
Although experts have studied this phenomenon in scorpions for years, the exact reason for this reaction is still not known. However, they comment that it is likely that they use this mechanism to measure the light levels at night and thus determine if it is appropriate to go hunting. It could also be used to recognize each other.
3. Firefly
Fireflies are those little insects that illuminate gardens and forests They live in temperate and tropical environments and more than 2000 species of they. Fireflies glow because of chemical processes that occur in their body caused by the consumption of oxygen. This process releases a lot of energy and transforms it into cold light, this light is emitted by the organs below your abdomen and can come in different colors such as: yellow, green and red.
4. Firefly Squid
And speaking of marine animals we have the firefly squid. Every year, on the coast of Japan, specifically in Toyama Bay during the months of March to May, which is their mating season, the firefly squids and their fascinating natural spectacle of bioluminescence, which is produced when moonlight performs a chemical reaction with their outer membranes.
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5. Antarctic Krill
This marine creature, a crustacean whose length varies between 8 and 70mm, is among the most important animals in the Antarctic food chain, since they constitute a great source of food for many other predatory animals such as seals, penguins and birds. Krill have numerous organs that can give off a yellow-green light for 3 seconds at a time. This crustacean is said to light up to avoid predators of the deep, blending in and blending into the brightness of the sky and the ice on the surface.
6. The Lantern Fish
This animal was the inspiration for one of the "evil" characters in the famous animated film Finding Nemo. And not surprisingly, their large jaws and teeth strike fear into anyone. This poor fish is listed as one of the ugliest animals in the world, but on our site, we simply find it to be very interesting. The anglerfish carry a kind of flashlight on their heads that illuminates the dark ocean floor and that attracts both their prey and their sexual partners
7. Jellyfish comb
Although little known, this type of jellyfish is very abundant in the seas around the world, constituting a large proportion of the biomass of the plankton. They are very strange, and although some have the shape of a jellyfish as such (and that is why they were grouped in this sector), others look like flattened worms. Unlike other jellyfish, these don't sting and produce bioluminescence as a defense mechanism. Many comb jellies have a single pair of tentacles that leave a kind of light trail as they pass by.
