Photophores contained within the tips are responsible for producing the red light. The dangling blobs themselves are harmless, but nearby tentacles are equipped with a battery of potent stinging cells, that make quick work of the small fish. To the fish that fall for the alluring bait, the red fluorescent tip looks just like a fat, juicy crustacean. This creature's feeding zooids employ unique red "lures" at the tips of some tentacles to catch unwitting passers-by. Each zooids performs a specific function, such as feeding or reproduction.
Like all siphonophores, this unnamed species is what scientists call a "superorganism": an animal that grows by budding off highly specialized structures, known as zooids. A close relative of the jellyfish, it was recently discovered by a team of Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) researchers. Take the case of the deep-sea siphonophore, which makes red light to trap its prey. When something looks too good to be true, it usually is.
Photo Credits: Image: Steven Haddock / MBARI The effect of this strategy, called counterillumination, is to break up the squid's silhouette by mimicking the intensity and color of downwelling light from the surface. To confound its potential predators, the glass squid makes use of two U-shaped light-emitting photophores located at the base of its eyes: the lights cancel out the shadows cast by the opaque eyes. Many species hunt for prey by scanning the water column above them, looking for any telltale silhouettes that might signal the presence of their next meal. The chromatophores are not an issue, but the opaque color of its eyes can be a dead giveaway. Unlike the many species that use bioluminescence as an attention-grabbing beacon, this animal uses light as a cloak to evade prying eyes.Īside from its opaque eyes and the polka dot-like chromatophores (pigmented cells that aid in camouflage) that cover its body, the glass squid is completely transparent. The glass squid is a master of luminous disguise. Photo Credits: Image: Marsh Youngbluth / MAR-ECO, Census of Marine Life In the first study (pdf) to document Stauroteuthis ' bioluminescence, Duke University's Sonke Johnsen and colleagues observed that, when disturbed, the octopus splayed out its arms and exposed all its flashing photophores in an attempt to scare off unwanted guests. Once the unsuspecting critter is close, the octopus grabs it and traps it within a mucus web produced by glands on its arms. Stauroteuthis feeds on small crustaceans that are attracted to light. In the place of the usual suckers are rows of flashing photophores, which the octopus cannily uses to lure its prey to certain death or to startle intruders. In this gallery, we'll look at some of the wildest, and most clever, uses of light at sea.īeing without adhesive suckers would seem to put you at a major disadvantage if you're an octopus, but the deep-sea octopus Stauroteuthis syrtensis manages just fine. When the sun sets, it comes to life in a dazzling display of colors and lights that rivals the best fireworks shows.Īn astonishing variety of species use bioluminescence (the natural production of visible light through a chemical reaction ) to catch food, hook up with mates, or scare off intruders. To truly appreciate the wondrous beauty of life in the ocean, you have to see it at night. Photo Credits: All text by Jeremy Jacquot Image: ORCA
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