What roles does bioluminescence play in the deep sea?
You would think that for an organism trying to be discreet, making light isn’t exactly a great idea. However, bioluminescence is an important form of communication in the deep ocean where little or no light penetrates. Researchers have been studying how bioluminescence affects the biology and ecology of deep-sea animals over the past several decades. The following examples including defense, predation, and mate location are the most common uses of bioluminescence in the ocean. Defense Ironically, camouflage may be the most common use of bioluminescence in the ocean. For example, euphausid shrimps that undergo nightly vertical migrations up and down through the water column have a series of light producing organs, or photophores. Those photophores are located on the part of the organisms facing downwards – their “bellies”- known to biologists as their “ventral surface.” Light emitted from these organs helps disguise these euphausids by preventing upward-looking predators from distinguis
