Creatures Glowing in the Dark
The underwater world is rich in bio-luminescent creatures but the dry land has its exemplars too! See more about these light producing animals!
A fascinating segment of flora and fauna is represented by the plants and animals that can produce light; they are called bio-luminescent creatures: "bio" means living, and "luminescent" means producing light.
A long time ago, bio-luminescent creatures used to scare sailors because they thought it was some sort of fire which was flickering above the waves. But in fact, this "fire" that frightened them came from very small beings that can actually produce their very own light. Such creatures are called plankton. The thing is there are a lot more bio-luminescent creatures in the waters (sea and oceans) than there are on the land. In the places where water is shallow, they may glow among corals and sponges, and where the water is deeper, they may increase in number. If creatures have lights on their underside body part, they can appear as invisible to other creatures below them. The thing is, if seen from underneath, the creatures' glow is likely to blend with daylight that shines faintly through the waters. Scientists believe that glowing creatures very seldom live in the deepest parts of the ocean, where the light of day can never reach.
There are thousands of types of animals and plants that can give off light. Some are too small to be seen, if it weren't for their light. Other such creatures live in the deep of the ocean, while others spread a very dim light so they can only be noticed in the darkest nights.
Among creatures that can glow in the dark we can include insects, mushrooms, bacteria, jellyfish, squid, ocean fish and many other sea or ocean creatures. They all have something in common. Thus, certain chemicals inside their bodies interact with oxygen and make those creatures glow. While large creatures may only have spots of light, smaller ones can actually glow all over.
A large number of creatures can use their lighting up power to attract their prey the same as moths are attracted to the electric bulb. At the same time, some other creatures can use their glowing power to attract mates. Some bio-luminescent creatures can glow on and on night and day, while most others are likely to switch on and off at different times. In the case of some creatures, they are likely to turn on and off as a reaction to something that happens to them, like being disturbed. According to scientists, this is how their defense mechanism works: first they turn on their light, and then they turn it off. When they turn it off, the attacker may think that the creature it wanted to eat vanished. Also, lighting up may warn enemies that such creatures may be poisonous.
Also, certain creatures may glow on and off only during their mating time. Among such creatures one could include fireflies and some sea animals called fire worms.
In scientists' opinion, some types of squid are likely to use lights in order to mislead their enemies. What the squid actually does is let a glowing cloud come out of its body, and the cloud can get the squid attacker's attention until the squid can speed up and vanish from sight.
But what other creatures glow, apart from squids? There are some tiny beings called Cypridina which live in warm seas and which are about the size of tomato seeds. They usually glow when they are disturbed. And the interesting fact is one can make powder from Cypridina; such powder can be used by soldiers hiding from their enemies to read maps in the dark.
Another such creature is the underwater star. Deep star fish can blink on and off. According to experts, underwater starfish glow in order to warn their enemies of the fact that they taste badly.
Lamprophorus also produce glow. They are a sort of firefly that some people call glowworms, in spite of the fact that, unlike worms, they have legs.
Other bio-luminescent creatures on the land include of course the above-mentioned fireflies. These beetles with built-in lamps which live and glow in mostly any part of the world. There are many of them which shine only while they are still larvae, but they still keep their capacity to turn on and off even after they become winged insects.
A long time ago, bio-luminescent creatures used to scare sailors because they thought it was some sort of fire which was flickering above the waves. But in fact, this "fire" that frightened them came from very small beings that can actually produce their very own light. Such creatures are called plankton. The thing is there are a lot more bio-luminescent creatures in the waters (sea and oceans) than there are on the land. In the places where water is shallow, they may glow among corals and sponges, and where the water is deeper, they may increase in number. If creatures have lights on their underside body part, they can appear as invisible to other creatures below them. The thing is, if seen from underneath, the creatures' glow is likely to blend with daylight that shines faintly through the waters. Scientists believe that glowing creatures very seldom live in the deepest parts of the ocean, where the light of day can never reach.
There are thousands of types of animals and plants that can give off light. Some are too small to be seen, if it weren't for their light. Other such creatures live in the deep of the ocean, while others spread a very dim light so they can only be noticed in the darkest nights.
Among creatures that can glow in the dark we can include insects, mushrooms, bacteria, jellyfish, squid, ocean fish and many other sea or ocean creatures. They all have something in common. Thus, certain chemicals inside their bodies interact with oxygen and make those creatures glow. While large creatures may only have spots of light, smaller ones can actually glow all over.
A large number of creatures can use their lighting up power to attract their prey the same as moths are attracted to the electric bulb. At the same time, some other creatures can use their glowing power to attract mates. Some bio-luminescent creatures can glow on and on night and day, while most others are likely to switch on and off at different times. In the case of some creatures, they are likely to turn on and off as a reaction to something that happens to them, like being disturbed. According to scientists, this is how their defense mechanism works: first they turn on their light, and then they turn it off. When they turn it off, the attacker may think that the creature it wanted to eat vanished. Also, lighting up may warn enemies that such creatures may be poisonous.
Also, certain creatures may glow on and off only during their mating time. Among such creatures one could include fireflies and some sea animals called fire worms.
In scientists' opinion, some types of squid are likely to use lights in order to mislead their enemies. What the squid actually does is let a glowing cloud come out of its body, and the cloud can get the squid attacker's attention until the squid can speed up and vanish from sight.
But what other creatures glow, apart from squids? There are some tiny beings called Cypridina which live in warm seas and which are about the size of tomato seeds. They usually glow when they are disturbed. And the interesting fact is one can make powder from Cypridina; such powder can be used by soldiers hiding from their enemies to read maps in the dark.
Another such creature is the underwater star. Deep star fish can blink on and off. According to experts, underwater starfish glow in order to warn their enemies of the fact that they taste badly.
Lamprophorus also produce glow. They are a sort of firefly that some people call glowworms, in spite of the fact that, unlike worms, they have legs.
Other bio-luminescent creatures on the land include of course the above-mentioned fireflies. These beetles with built-in lamps which live and glow in mostly any part of the world. There are many of them which shine only while they are still larvae, but they still keep their capacity to turn on and off even after they become winged insects.
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