Many organisms produce bioluminescence, including fireflies, squid, jellyfish, mushrooms, and many deep-sea creatures. Bioluminescence can be produced voluntarily or involuntarily and is used for purposes like warning off predators, camouflage, navigation, and communication like finding mates or attracting prey as in the case of the anglerfish. Some creatures like the cookiecutter shark use bioluminescence for counterillumination camouflage, lighting their undersides to disappear against the background light from above.

1. Bioluminescence
Life-light
http://unusualseacreatures.blogspot.com/2010/07/anglerfish-anglerfish-is-deep-sea-fish.html

2. What is Bioluminescence
• When an organism emits light from its
body
– It can be voluntary (on purpose)
– Or involuntary (not on purpurose)

3. Some organisms that produce
bioluminescence…..

4. Fireflies
http://beneficialbugs.org/bugs/Firefly/boreal_firefly.htm

5. Squid!!!
http://seavenger.info/firefly-squid/

6. Jellyfish
http://www.flickr.com/photos/niallkennedy/4024671197/

7. Mushrooms!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gusveitch/4407003347/

8. Many Deep-sea Critters
http://unusualseacreatures.blogspot.com/2010/07/anglerfish-anglerfish-is-deep-sea-fish.html
http://deerdonna.blogspot.com/2011/07/bioluminescent-deep-ocean-creatures.html

9. Bacteria and Phytoplankton
http://www.flickr.com/photos/msauder/206368807/

10. Why use bioluminescence?
• Warning to predators
• Camouflage
• Navigation
• Communication
– Finding mates
• Attract prey
– Angler fish

11. Camouflage
• Cookiecutter shark - Counterillumination. As this shark
rises closer to the surface, it lights its underside so a predator looking up
from beneath does not see its full silhouette. The shark “disappears”.
http://www.sciencenews.org/sn_arc98/8_1_98/fob5.htm
Widder

12. Attracting Mates
• Atlantic midshipman
http://public.gettysburg.edu
Communication

13. Attract Prey
http://unusualseacreatures.blogspot.com/2010/07/anglerfish-anglerfish-is-deep-sea-fish.html ; http://www.sciencenews.org/sn_arc98/8_1_98/fob5.htm
• Angler fish---the
lighted lure attracts prey.
• Cookiecutter
shark-Since only a small
part of its body is easily
visible, it looks like a smaller
animal—attracting something
that thinks it is going to get a
meal, but instead becomes a
meal for the much larger
shark.
Widder