A nocturnal coral reef comes to life during a night dive in Aruba. Bioluminescence is a fascinating natural phenomenon illustrating the health of the oceans
For the #SciArtSeptember prompt glowing, it’s my linocut of the #bioluminescent firefly squid! The firefly squid (Watasenia scintillans), also called sparkling enope squid or hotaru-ika in Japan, live at depth (200 to 400 m) and are bioluminescent and emit blue light from photophores. 🧵1/2
The print shows the squid against a white background so you can see the whole animal and then its reflection is shown against dark blue so you can see how its #bioluminescence would appear underwater with fluorescent blue spots. When they spawn on the shores of Japan visitors come to see the blue glow and they are a boon to fishermen who collect the dying squid.
At 10 minutes past midnight this morning, I was stood in the water at Three Cliffs Bay! The water was warm and being in the water meant my legs weren't bombarded by sandhoppers (yeuk!) Standing under the stars, watching occasional flashes of bioluminescence really is a privilege and I enjoyed every second.
Last night, when most sensible people were in bed, I was standing in the sea for a couple of hours watching and photographing the bioluminescent plankton at Rhossili Bay!
The bluest known bioluminescense of any insect is produced by larvae of a predatory keroplatid gnat, Orfelia fultoni, which lure flying insects to a sticky silk trap. Gatlinburg, Tennessee, USA.