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Bioluminescence is the ability of living organisms to glow, achieved independently or with the help of symbionts. Light is created in more highly developed organisms in special luminous organs (for example, in the photophores of fish), in unicellular eukaryotes - in special organelles, and in bacteria - in the cytoplasm. As it turned out in nature does not exist glowing plants, but there are luminous bacteria and fungi. WHAT IS BIOLUMINESCENCE? Mushrooms Bacteria

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WHAT IS BIOLUMINESCENCE? The very name "bioluminescence" literally means "weak living glow". Bioluminescence is based on chemical processes, in which the released energy is released in the form of light. The efficiency of a living glow is fantastically high: it reaches 80-90%. Jellyfish Pisces Firefly

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WHAT IS BIOLUMINESCENCE? The frequency of the emitted light, that is, its color, depends on the energy of the light quantum (photon). Corals Anchovies

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WHAT IS BIOLUMINESCENCE? Among land animals, the ability to glow is rather an exception to the rule, but among marine animals it is widespread. In terms of the number of luminous species among invertebrates, the coelenterates (soft corals, sea feathers, deep-sea jellyfish) and cephalopods(squid and cuttlefish), and among the chordates - tunicates (salps and fireballs), as well as fish. Salpa Kalmar

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WHAT IS BIOLUMINESCENCE? Of the freshwater bioluminescent species, the New Zealand gastropod Latia neritoides and a number of bacteria. Among terrestrial organisms glow certain types mushrooms, earthworms, snails, centipedes and insects. Latia neritoides Luminous snail Firefly

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HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF BIOLUMINESCENCE This story began on January 4, 1761, when a Danish warship was carrying a scientific expedition from Copenhagen to Smyrna, one of the participants of which was the zoologist Forskol. One day in early March, when the ship was sailing on North Sea, passengers noticed a strange glow in the water. The reason turned out to be jellyfish, "capable of glowing inside."

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HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF BIOLUMINESCENCE When jellyfish were disturbed, they glowed brightly with green phosphorescent light. Forskol alcoholized several specimens of jellyfish and wrote in Latin in his travel diary: "when irritated and killed, they glow."

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HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF BIOLUMINESCENCE For centuries, the glow of the sea has been one of the the greatest mysteries ocean. Scientists tried to explain this phenomenon both by the glow of phosphorus contained in water, and by electrical discharges that occur during the friction of water and salt molecules, and by the fact that the night ocean gives off the energy of the Sun absorbed during the day. It has now been established that the glow of the sea is caused by biological causes, the main of which is the mass reproduction of some bioluminescent species of organisms that make up a significant part of the plankton of the World Ocean. Bioluminescent plankton Comb jelly

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PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF BIOLUMINESCENCE In bacteria, luminophore proteins are scattered throughout the cell; in unicellular eukaryotic organisms, they are located in membrane-surrounded vesicles in the cytoplasm. In multicellular animals, light is usually emitted by special cells - photocytes. Photocytes of coelenterates and other primitive animals glow continuously or within a few seconds after mechanical or chemical stimulation. In animals with developed nervous system it controls the work of photocytes, turning them on and off in response to external stimuli or when changing internal environment organism. Lantern-eye Shishechnik

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BIOLUMINESCENCE IN DEEP-SEA FISH In many deep-sea cephalopods, the body is painted with a pattern of multi-colored light spots, and the photophores are very complex, like a searchlight shining only in the right direction with reflectors and lenses. anglerfish

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INTERESTING USE OF BIOLUMINESCENCE Light flashes scare away predators from jellyfish, ctenophores and other helpless and gentle creatures. Corals and other colonial animals glow in response to mechanical stimulation, and their untouched neighbors also begin to flicker.

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INTERESTING APPLICATIONS OF BIOLUMINESCENCE Insectivorous larvae of the New Zealand Arachnocampa mosquito weave a trapping net and highlight it with their own body, attracting insects.

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INTERESTING USE OF BIOLUMINESCENCE In Brazil and Uruguay, there are reddish-brown fireflies with rows of bright green lights along their torso and a bright red bulb on their heads. There are cases when doctors performed operations in the light of fireflies poured into a bottle.

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INTERESTING APPLICATIONS OF BIOLUMINESCENCE The most striking application of bioluminescence is the creation of transgenic plants and animals. The first mouse with the GFP gene inserted into chromosomes was created in 1998. The first luminous fish were created by Taiwanese scientist Dr. Zhiyuan Gong in 2001.

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Some marine animals, including 180 species of fish, have unique structures in their skin, which, when exposed to blue light, make them glow neon red, green, or orange. This feature is called biofluorescence. It, unlike bioluminescence, which occurs through a chemical reaction in the organisms of thousands of marine and terrestrial animals, occurs in a completely different way. First of all, biofluorescence is not the result of a chemical reaction, and the external tissues of animals cannot emit light on their own. Instead, fluorescent organisms absorb blue light, transform it, and re-emit it. At the molecular level, this happens in the following way. Special fluorescent molecules in the body absorb high-energy blue light photons. When these photons collide with fluorescent molecules, the latter are "excited" to such an extent that their electrons become high-energy. Once "excited," the electrons quickly return to their original state, but during this "relaxation," they release energy in the form of photons. But because the electrons expended energy during their "excitation", they emit photons of a lower energy level than those that were absorbed. In other words, the body begins to emit long-wavelength light, such as green, yellow, or orange. Marine animals, which are characterized by biofluorescence, constantly absorb the blue light present in the ocean. It is known that light is absorbed by water molecules, organic and inorganic substances dissolved in water, and phytoplankton. So, infrared and red light are completely absorbed by the upper layers of water, only green-blue light penetrates into the deep layers of the ocean, and only blue light remains at depths of more than 100 meters. Biofluorescence is inherent marine life inhabiting different layers of the ocean. These include, for example, the cat shark, some representatives of the scorpionfish and tropefin fish families, as well as corals. According to scientists, this phenomenon is especially common among secretive fish hiding in corals and crevices on the bottom. Today, researchers cannot say unequivocally how animals use biofluorescence. However, according to the most common version, this feature is necessary for them to communicate with each other. Moreover, this method allows fish to exchange signals secretly, remaining invisible to predators. After all, it is known that not all fish have the ability to see neon light, but only species with special structure eye. However, scientists have yet to explore this issue further. Interestingly, some species of animals can emit light of several colors. For example, most of the body seahorse hippocampus erectus emits red light, but around the eyes of the animal there are green luminous blotches.

The depths of the oceans and seas are inhabited by many amazing living creatures, among which there is a real miracle of nature. These are deep-sea, which are equipped unique bodies- photophores. These special lantern glands can be located in different places: on the head, around the mouth or eyes, on the antennae, on the back, on the sides or on the processes of the body. The photophores are filled with mucus with glowing bioluminescent bacteria.

deep sea glowing fish

It is worth noting that glowing fish is able to control the glow of bacteria by itself, expanding or narrowing the vessels, tk. Flashes of light require oxygen.

One of the most interesting representatives glowing fish are deep sea anglers, which live at a depth of about 3000 meters.

In the arsenal of females reaching a meter in length, there is a special rod with a “bait-beacon” at its end, which attracts prey to it. Highly interesting view is the bottom galateatauma (lat.Galatheathauma axeli), which is equipped with a light "bait" right in the mouth. She does not "trouble" herself with hunting, because it is enough for her to take a comfortable position, open her mouth and swallow the "naive" prey.

Anglerfish (lat. Ceratioidei)

Another interesting representative, glowing fish is a black dragon (lat. Malacosteus niger). She emits red light with the help of special "spotlights" that are located under her eyes. For the deep-sea inhabitants of the ocean, this light is invisible, and the black dragon fish illuminates its path, while remaining unnoticed.

Those representatives of deep-sea fish that have specific organs of luminescence, telescopic eyes, etc., are true deep sea fish, they should not be confused with the deep-sea shelf, which do not have such adaptive organs and live on the continental slope.

Black dragon (Latin Malacosteus niger)

Known since glowing fish:

lantern-eyed (lat. Anomalopidae)

luminous anchovies, or miktofovye (lat. Myctophidae)

anglerfish (lat. Ceratioidei)

Brazilian luminous (cigar) sharks (lat. Isistius Brasiliensis)

gonostoma (lat. Gonostomatidae)

chauliodnye (lat. Chauliodontidae)

Luminous anchovies are small fish with a laterally compressed body, a large head and a very large mouth. The length of their body, depending on the species, is from 2.5 to 25 cm. They have special luminous organs, which emit green, blue, or yellowish light that is produced due to chemical reactions occurring in photocytic cells.

Glowing anchovies (Latin Myctophidae)

They are widely distributed throughout the oceans. Many species of myctophids have a huge number. The Myctophidae, together with the Photihthidae and Gonostomas, account for up to 90% of the population of all known deep-sea fishes.

Gonostoma (lat. Gonostomatidae)

The life of these deep-sea elusive representatives marine fauna, carefully hidden from prying eyes, so it flows at a depth of 1000 to 6000 meters. And since the World Ocean, according to scientists, has been studied by less than 5%, humanity is still waiting for a lot of amazing discoveries, among them, perhaps, there will be new types of deep-sea glowing fish.

And with other, no less interesting creatures inhabiting sea ​​depths you will be introduced to these articles:

Bioluminescence is the ability of living organisms to glow. It is based on chemical processes in which the released energy is released in the form of light. Bioluminescence serves to attract prey, mates, communication, warning, camouflage, or deterrence.

Scientists believe that bioluminescence appeared at the stage of transition from anaerobic to aerobic life forms as a protective reaction of ancient bacteria in relation to the "poison" - oxygen, which was released by green plants during photosynthesis. Bioluminescence is found in bacteria, fungi and a fairly wide range of representatives of the animal class - from protozoa to chordates. But it is especially common among crustaceans, insects and fish.

Bacteria help organisms to “create” light, or they cope with this task on their own. In this case, light can emit both the entire surface of the body and special organs - glands, mainly of skin origin. The latter are present in many marine animals, and among terrestrial ones - in insects, some earthworms, centipedes, etc.

firefly

Perhaps the most famous of the bioluminescents. firefly family ( Lampyridae) has about 2000 species. The tropics and subtropics can boast the greatest variety of these beetles, but on the territory former USSR there were only seven genera and about 20 species of these insects. Well, they don’t need light at all in order “to make it light for us dark night”, But for communication with each other, whether it be the calling signals of males in search of females, mimicry (under ambient lighting, for example, the light of a light bulb or the moon illuminating the grass), protection of the territory, and so on.

Common firefly / ©Flickr

Nightlight

Noctiluca scintillans, or night light, belongs to the species of the so-called dinoflagellates. Sometimes they are also called dinoflagellates due to their ability to photosynthesize. In fact, most of them are flagellates with a developed intracellular shell. It is dinoflagellates that are the culprits of the famous "red tides", phenomena as frightening as they are beautiful. But especially magnificent, of course, is the blue “illumination” of night lights, which can be observed at night in the waters of the seas, oceans and lakes. Both the red color and the blue glow are caused by the abundance of these amazing tiny organisms in the water.

Water illuminated by nightlights / ©Flickr

Angler

This innocent species of anglerfish has its name bony fish received due to its extremely unattractive appearance. Judge for yourself:

deep sea angler/ ©Flickr

Sea devils have a “malocclusion”, which is why their mouth is constantly open, and sharp spiked teeth stick out of it. The body of the fish is covered large quantity skin growths, bumps and plaques. Not surprisingly, these sea "quasimodo" prefer to live on great depth- apparently, so they hide from malevolent eyes. But seriously, these fish are very interesting. From other inhabitants underwater world they, among other things, are distinguished by the front part dorsal fin, which is located directly above the mouth. This luminous "flashlight" is needed sea ​​devils not to light their way, but to attract prey.

mushroom mosquitoes

No less surprising are other bioluminescents - a genus of fungal mosquitoes from the fungal mosquito family. This genus was formerly called Bolitiphila which means "lover of mushrooms". It has now been renamed to Arachnocampa- "spider larva". The fact is that the larva of this mosquito weaves real nets. The larvae that have just hatched into the light of day are only 3-5 mm long, but at the final stage of development they grow up to 3 cm. It is in the larval stage that these mosquitoes spend most of their lives, therefore, in order to feed and attract prey, they weave something like a nest of silk on the ceiling of the caves, hanging down the ends of sticky threads that illuminate with their own bodies. Common in caves and grottoes in Australia and New Zealand.

Mushroom mosquito larvae / ©Flickr

neon mushroom

Unfortunately, this miracle of nature is a stunningly beautiful luminescent mushroom. Chlorophos Mycena You won't find it in our area. To see it, you should go to Japan or Brazil. Yes, and there you will have to wait for the rainy season, when these amazing green mushrooms appear from literally “flaming” spores.

Whether this miracle is edible or not is unknown. However, few people dare to serve such a luminous plate to the table. If you still decide to look for it, we advise you to look at the base of tree trunks, next to fallen or cut branches, heaps of foliage, or simply on damp soil.

Neon mushrooms / ©Flickr

giant squid

It is the largest bioluminescent squid ( Taningia danae) and probably the most beautiful view these animals in general. Science knows a specimen whose length was 2.3 m, and its weight was about 161 kg! However, it is not so easy to see this majestic handsome man: he lives at a depth of about 1000 m and is found in tropical and subtropical waters. Despite the beauty Taningia danae- an aggressive predator. Before pouncing on the prey, the squid emits short flashes of light with the help of special bodies located on the tentacles. What are these flashes for? Well, obviously not in order to "warn" the victim. Scientists believe that they are needed either for blinding deep sea inhabitants, or in order to estimate the distance to the target. And a colorful show helps the animal to seduce the female.

Giant bioluminescent squid / ©Flickr