Nature's Illuminating Survival Tactics

Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by living organisms.
In some species it is produced by symbiotic bacteria and in others it is autogenically produced by the animals themselves.
Bioluminescence in fish began at least by the cretaceous period, about 145 million years ago.
More than 75% of all creatures in the open ocean or pelagic zone have been found to produce bioluminescence in one form or another.
The many functions of this evolutionary adaptation include Counter-illumination camouflage, Attraction, Defense, Warning, Communication, Mimicry and Illumination.
In this video we look at what bioluminescence is, how it works and what it’s used for.
Highlighted animals include the Alarm jelly, Gossamer worm, Viperfish, Firefly squid and the Angler fish.
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CREDITS AND REFERENCES:
Where does the largest animal migration on Earth happen? The ocean's twilight zone
MBARI
• Where does the largest...
Bioluminescence in the deep sea: How and why do animals create their own light?
MBARI
• Bioluminescence in the...
Bioluminescence on Camera National Geographic
National Geographic
• Bioluminescence on Cam...
Strange Bioluminescing Deep Sea Animals _ Blue Planet _ BBC Earth
BBC Earth
• Strange Bioluminescing...
Deep Time
Rebikoff Foundation
• Deep Time
Why this deep sea fish has scientists stumped - BBC
BBC
• Why this deep sea fish...
Weird and Wonderful: A big mouth is an advantage for the toothy viperfish
MBARI
• Weird and Wonderful: A...
Facts-The Firefly Squid
Deep Marine Scenes
• Facts: The Firefly Squid
Image licensed under Creative Commons
Masaki Miya et al., CC BY 2.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
Bioluminescence
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biolumi...
Bioluminescence-fact-sheet
oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu/ma...
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Episode_18

[@Norwyn]

Very cool video! A few things I´d like to add: While ctenophores are bioluminescent, the rainbows of color that can be seen on their beating combs are produced by iridescence. While many animals use bacteria to produce bioluminescence, some are also able to produce the chemicals (luciferin & luciferase) by themselves. An example for thar would be the sharks in the genus Etmopterus. Viperfishes are even cooler, because they use another form of bioluminescence as well: They are able to produce red bioluminescence from photophores under their eyes. You can see this organ in the footage. Since red light doesn´t travel far underwater, many deep sea species have lost the ability to see it. Viperfishes can see it and therefore have a flashlight, that´s often invisible for their prey. The bioluminescence in the "projectile vomit" is not produced by the fish but by the ostracod it´s trying to eat. It´s a defence mechanism to blind their predators.

[@TheWoWfactor44]

Thank you for your well informed comment Norwyn. 👍 I’m never quite sure how much information from my research to relay as there are so many interesting facts about these amazing creatures. I didn’t know about the Ostracod. Interesting. So thanks again for taking the time to comment. 🙂

[@Norwyn]

@@TheWoWfactor44 You´re welcome! If you look closely in the footage you can spot the ostracod right before it happens.

[@ShaunStClair-nx3xy]

A very interesting video as always Mr WoW. Fascinating what goes on in the ocean

[@TheWoWfactor44]

And I appreciate your comment as always ShaunStClair. Yes, It's an entirely different world in the ocean. Fascinating.

[@bradjoy]

Fish f@#$ in the ocean…fascinating. Also…Anglerfish are awesome…ugly AF, but awesome!

[@TheWoWfactor44]

Anglerfish, the Rockstar's of the ocean! 🤟

[@user-mn4qt8bg5k]

Great stuff I love it Thank you for your good work

[@TheWoWfactor44]

You're most welcome. Glad you enjoyed.

[@bradjoy]

Bioluminuble-bleh-bleh? Fascinating Also, very cool…I want to bioluminate…luminuble?….Bioluminesce? Good job mate👍👍👍

[@TheWoWfactor44]

Bioluminesce? More like bio-lost-in-words! It's a tongue-twister for sure. Bit like counterillumination! Biothankyouescence Bradjoy.

[@Benafex]

Is this why my room lights up when I shine a blue light in there?

[@TheWoWfactor44]

Did you drop a bag of Photophores in your room.? 😎