(via fallenpixel)
Bioluminescent Christmas tree by edquint8364.
This is a click beetle (Family Elateridae) that has bioluminescence in the two yellow patches in the pronotum. It is a constant green color and it seems prone to illuminate when it is alert. This was found near the Cerro de San Gil Reserve in Izabal, Guatemala.
by Adrian Tween
Totem animal #27: deep-sea shrimp (parapandulus) emitting bioluminescent “vomit” as defense mechanism. Red-light image by biologist Sönke Johnsen, 2009.
Scientists aren’t certain about the purpose of the glowing stuff yet, but think it may work “like the exploding-paint money bags you see in bank robbery movies,” Johnsen said. “An animal that disturbs the shrimp gets coated with light, which makes it highly visible to predators.”
Bioluminescent fish
These neurons from the hippocampus of a mouse were genetically altered with fluorescent proteins from jellyfish to create about 90 shades of color. The Harvard researchers who invented this technique call it “Brainbow”; the vivid hues help researchers observe the complex interactions between brain cells.
Some species know how to make a quiet exit. But the deep-sea shrimp retreats in a blaze of bioluminescent glory. When confronted by a predator, the bright red critter spews a glowing blue ooze from the base of its antennae into the water.
The light temporarily stuns the offender, giving the shrimp precious time to back-flip its way to safety. It’s similar to the time-tested strategy used by squids and octopuses, which squirt clouds of ink into the faces of their enemies.
Comb jellyfish
Comb jellyfish
A close-up of a Comb Jellyfish’s tentacles. Comb jellies can flash colors in sequences that look much like rainbows.
Stauroteuthis feeds on small crustaceans that are attracted to light. Once the unsuspecting critter is close, the octopus grabs it and traps it within a mucus web produced by glands on its arms. In the first study (pdf) to document Stauroteuthis’ bioluminescence, Duke University’s Sonke Johnsen and colleagues observed that, when disturbed, the octopus splayed out its arms and exposed all its flashing photophores in an attempt to scare off unwanted guests.
The green glow emitted by wood-decaying mushrooms and other fungi is sometimes referred to as “foxfire”. This light is bright enough to see by, and was suggested by Benjamin Franklin as a light source for the early wooden submarine, the Turtle. It was also used by Tom in Sawyer to light his underground passages in Mark Twain’s seminal novels. Over 40 species exhibit the glow, including members of the genus Omphalotus (Jack O’ Lantern mushroom, ghost fungus), the honey mushroom, and many others. Nearly all use the luciferin illudin, and hence are toxic to ingest.
The Sparkling Enope Squid is found in the Western Pacific ocean at depths of 600 to 1200 feet and exhibits bioluminescence. Each tentacle has an organ called a photophore, which produces light. By flashing these lights, the Sparkling Enope Squid can attract little fish to feed upon. The Sparkling Enope Squid is the only species of cephalopod in which evidence of color vision has been found. While most cephalopods have only one visual pigment, firefly squid have three, along with a double-layered retina. These adaptations for color vision may have evolved to enable firefly squid to distinguish between ambient light and bioluminescence. The Sparkling Enope Squid measures about 3 inches long at maturity and dies after one year of life.
Polychaete Tomopteris
