What bird glows in the dark. Creative work on the topic: “Glowing animals. Ostracod glow Cypridina hilgendorfii, Japan
Some marine animals, including 180 species of fish, have unique structures in their skin that, when exposed to blue light, allow them to glow neon red, green, or orange. This feature is called biofluorescence. It, unlike bioluminescence, which occurs with the help of chemical reaction in the organisms of thousands of marine and terrestrial animals, it happens quite differently. 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 upper layers 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.
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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 fish photophores), in unicellular eukaryotes - in special organelles, and in bacteria - in the cytoplasm. As it turned out, there are no luminous plants in nature, 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. Coefficient useful action living glow is fantastically large: 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. By number luminous species among invertebrates, 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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THE HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF BIOLUMINESCENCE The glow of the sea has been one of the greatest mysteries of the ocean for centuries. 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 mass reproduction some bioluminescent species of organisms that make up a significant part of the plankton of the oceans. Bioluminescent plankton Comb jelly
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PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF BIOLUMINESCENCE In bacteria, luminophor 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 special cages- 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 trapping net and illuminate it 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 head. 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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Which of us has not had to admire the warm summer evening the greenish lights of firefly bugs that shoot through the air in different directions? But how many people know that not only some bugs, but also other animals, especially the inhabitants of the seas and oceans, are endowed with the ability to glow?
Everyone who spent the summer on the Black Sea coast has witnessed one of the most beautiful spectacles of nature more than once.
The night is coming. The sea is calm. Small ripples glide across its surface. Suddenly, a bright stripe flashed on the crest of one of the nearest waves. Behind her flashed another, a third ... There are many of them. They will sparkle for a moment and fade along with the broken wave to light up again. You stand, looking, as if spellbound, at the millions of lights flooding the sea with their light, and you ask - what's the matter here?
This mystery has long been solved by science. It turns out that billions of microscopic animals emit light - ciliates, known as nightlights. Warm summer water favors their reproduction, and then they rush across the sea in countless hordes. In the body of each such nightlight, yellowish balls are scattered, which emit light.
But let's leave the surface of the sea. Let's dive into its waters. Here the picture is even more magnificent. Now some strange animals are swimming in a sedate crowd, now alone: they look like umbrellas or bells made of dense jelly. These are jellyfish: large and small, dark and glowing either blue, then green, then yellow, then reddish. Among these mobile multi-colored "lanterns" floats calmly, slowly, a giant jellyfish, whose umbrella has a diameter of sixty - seventy centimeters. Visible in the distance emitting light fishes. The fish-moon rushes headlong, like the moon among other luminous fish. One of the fish has brightly burning eyes, the other has a process on its muzzle, the top of which resembles a lit electric lamp; at the third, a long cord with a "flashlight" at the end dangles on the lower jaw, and some luminous fish are completely filled with radiance thanks to special bodies located along their body like electric light bulbs strung on a wire.
We go down below - to where the light of the sun no longer penetrates, where, it would seem, there should be eternal, impenetrable darkness. And here and there "fires burn"; and here the darkness of the night is cut through by rays emanating from the body of various luminous animals.
Luminous worms and molluscs swarm on the seabed among stones and algae. Their naked bodies are strewn with brilliant stripes, spots or specks - like diamond dust; on the ledges of underwater rocks, starfish flooded with light flaunt; the crayfish immediately darts to all ends of its hunting territory, illuminating the path in front of it with huge, spyglass-like eyes.
But the most magnificent of all is one of the cephalopods: He is all bathed in rays of bright blue. One moment - and the light went out: just turned off the plug electric chandelier. Then the light reappears - at first weak, then more and more bright: now it casts purple - the colors of the sunset. And there it goes out again, to flare up again for a few minutes with the color of delicate green foliage.
In the underwater world you can see other colorful paintings
Recall the well-known branch of red coral. This branch is the home of animals that are very simple in organization - polyps. Polyps live in extensive colonies that look like bushes. Polyps build their homes from lime or horny matter. Such dwellings are called polyp stands, and a branch of red coral is a particle of such a polyp. Underwater rocks in some places are completely covered with a whole grove of coral bushes of various shapes and colors with many tiny closets, in which hundreds of thousands of polyps sit - animals that look like little white flowers. In many polypnyaks, the polyps seem to be engulfed in flames, formed by numerous lights. The lights sometimes burn unevenly and intermittently, changing color: they suddenly sparkle with a violet light, then turning into red, or they sparkle with a pale blue and, having run through a whole range of transitions from blue to green, freeze in the color of an emerald or go out, forming black shadows around themselves, and there again flash iridescent sparks.
There are luminous animals among the inhabitants of the land: they are almost entirely beetles. There are six species of such beetles in Europe. IN tropical countries there are significantly more of them. All of them make up one family of "lampyrids", that is, fireflies. The illumination sometimes arranged by these bugs is a very spectacular sight.
One night I was on a train from Florence to Rome. Suddenly, sparks flying near the car caught my attention. At first they could be mistaken for sparks thrown out by a locomotive chimney. Glancing out the window, I saw that our train was rushing forward through a light, transparent cloud woven from tiny golden-blue lights. They sparkled everywhere. They circled, pierced the air in radiant arcs, cut it in different directions, crossed, drowned and flared up again in the darkness of the night, poured down on the ground in a fiery rain. And the train raced farther and farther, shrouded in a magical veil of lights. Five minutes, or even more, this unforgettable spectacle lasted. Then we burst out of the cloud of burning motes, leaving them far behind us.
They were myriads of firefly beetles, our train crashed into the thick of these nondescript-looking insects that had gathered on this quiet, warm night, apparently in mating season own life.
Certain types of fireflies emit light of relatively high intensity. There are fireflies that glow so brightly that on a dark horizon from a distance you can’t immediately determine what is in front of you: a star or a firefly. There are species in which both males and females glow equally well (for example, Italian fireflies). There are, finally, such types of bugs in which the male and female glow differently, although they look the same: the male's luminescence organ is better developed and acts more energetically than the female. When the female is underdeveloped, has only rudimentary wings or is completely wingless, and the male is developed normally, then something else is observed: in the female, the organs of luminescence function much more strongly than in the male; the more undeveloped the female, the more motionless and helpless she is, the brighter her luminous organ. best example the so-called "Ivanov worm" may serve here, which is not a worm at all, but a larval-like female of a special species of firefly beetles. Who among us has not admired its cold, even light, breaking through the foliage of a bush or grass? But there is an even more interesting sight: the glow of a female of another kind of fireflies. Inconspicuous during the day, similar to an annelids, at night it literally bathes in the rays of its own magnificent bluish-white light thanks to the abundance of luminous organs.
But it is not enough to admire the glow of living beings. It is necessary to know what causes the glow of the inhabitants of the underwater and ground world and what role it plays in the life of animals.
Talking about the glow of the sea, we said that inside each nightlight, with the help of a microscope, you can see many yellowish grains: these are luminous bacteria that live in the body of nightlights. By emitting light, they also make these microscopic animals luminous. The same must be said about the fish, whose eyes are like burning lanterns: their glow is caused by luminous bacteria that have settled in the cells of the luminous organ of this fish. But the glow of animals is not always associated with the activity of luminous bacteria. Sometimes light is produced by special luminous cells of the animal itself.
The luminous organs of various animals are built according to the same type: some are simpler, others are more complex. While luminous polyps, jellyfish and starfish the whole body glows, some breeds of crayfish have only one light source: big eyes similar to a telescope. However, among the luminous animals, one of the first places rightfully belongs to cephalopods. These include the octopus, which has the ability to change the color of its outer covers.
What organs cause glow? How are they built and how do they work?
In the skin of the cephalopod, there are small, hard, oval-shaped bodies. The front part of this body, looking outward, is completely transparent and is something similar to the lens of the eye, and the back, most of it, is wrapped in a black shell of pigment cells. Directly under this shell, silvery cells lie in several rows: they make up middle layer luminous organ of a mollusc. Below it are cells of complex shape, resembling the nerve elements of the retina of the eye. They line the inner surface of this body (apparatus). They also emit light.
So, the "bulb" of a cephalopod consists of three different layers. Light is emitted by the cells of the inner layer. Reflected from the silvery cells of the middle layer, it passes through the transparent end of the "bulb" and goes out.
Another curious detail in this luminous apparatus. In the skin of a cephalopod, near each such body, something like a concave mirror or reflector rises. Each such reflector in the "bulb" of a cephalopod mollusk consists, in turn, of two kinds of cells: of dark pigment cells that do not transmit light, in front of which there are rows of silvery cells that reflect light.
This is the most complex luminous organ in animals. Others are built much simpler or have some difference from the organs just described. It is important for us to remember that some multicellular animals have cells that can develop light energy.
While an organism lives, various chemical processes take place in its cells. In connection with these processes in the body, there are various forms energy: thermal, thanks to which it warms up; mechanical, on which its movements depend; electrical, which is connected with the work of his nerves. Light is too special kind energy that arises under the influence of the internal work that takes place in the body. The substance of luminous bacteria and those cells that make up the luminous apparatus of animals, oxidizing, radiates light energy.
What role does light play in animal life?
It has not yet been possible to answer this question in each individual case. But the benefits of glow for many animals can hardly be doubted. Luminous fish and crayfish live at a depth where sunlight does not penetrate. In the dark, it is difficult to distinguish what is happening around, track down prey and elude the enemy in time. Meanwhile, luminous fish and crayfish are sighted, have eyes. The ability to glow makes their lives easier.
In addition, we know how some animals are attracted to the light. A fish that has something like a light bulb sticking out of its head, or an anglerfish, endowed with a long cord-like tentacle "with a flashlight" at the end, uses luminous organs to attract prey. Even happier in this regard cephalopod: its changeable, iridescent light attracts some, intimidates others. Some varieties of small luminous crustaceans, in a moment of danger, throw out jets of luminous substance, the resulting luminous cloud hides them from the enemy. Finally, the glow in some animals serves as a means of finding and attracting one sex of the animal to another: males thus find females or, conversely, attract them to themselves. Therefore, the glow of animals is one of the adaptations that are so rich in nature, one of the weapons in the struggle for existence.
Lunkevich V.V. 1941
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 big amount skin growths, bumps and plaques. It is not surprising that these sea "quasimodo" prefer to live at great depths - apparently, this is how they hide from malevolent eyes. But seriously, these fish are very interesting. From other inhabitants underwater world they are, among other things, distinguished by the anterior part of the 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 victim, the squid emits short flashes of light with the help of special organs 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 to blind the 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
Nature is generous. Gives beauty and grace to some, intelligence and cunning to others, poison and a formidable appearance to others. The unfortunate and ugly, dwelling in deep darkness, also get something.
Bioluminescence is the ability of living organisms to glow, achieved independently or with the help of symbionts. The name comes from other Greek. βίος, "life" and lat. lumen- "light". 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. Bioluminescence is based on chemical processes in which the released energy is released in the form of light. Thus, bioluminescence is a special form of chemiluminescence. Wikipedia
Hatchet fish Sternoptychidae
The abdomen of this small tropical fish, living at a depth of 200 to 2000 m, is equipped with photophores that produce green radiation. The luminescence masks the silhouette of the hatchet: against the backlight from above (from the surface of the ocean), the fish becomes almost invisible to predators living below.
2. Luminous larvae Arachnocampa luminosa
The ceiling of New Zealand's Waitomo Cave resembles a starry sky. This is how the larvae of the local mushroom mosquito sparkle. They weave silk nests, lower down many threads with a sticky liquid and lure prey with their radiance - midges, snails and even their own adult relatives.
3. Nightlight Noctiluca scintillans
The mysterious glow of the sea, which has fascinated sailors and fishermen in different places for centuries the globe, cause unicellular organisms, dinoflagellates, forming clusters in surface waters. The pulses of light emitted by them may be an alarm signal.
4.glowing mushrooms Mycena lux coeli
More than 70 species of luminescent mushrooms are known. More than 40 of them belong to the genus Mycena. The size of Japanese mycena lux-coeli mushrooms growing on fallen trees is only 1–2 cm in diameter, but their glow can be seen in the dark at a distance of 50 meters. Presumably, this is how the fungi attract insects that carry spores.
5. hellish vampire Vampyroteuthis infernalis
The cephalopod mollusk, the only modern representative of the vampiromorph order, lives at a depth of 400–1000 meters, in the oxygen minimum zone. His entire body is covered with photophores, the activity of which the vampire controls well: he can control the duration and intensity of flashes. Instead of ink, in case of danger, it emits a cloud of sparkling slime.
6. scorpions Scorpiones
A handheld UV lamp has long been used for nighttime field photography of these animals. Scorpions do not have the ability to bioluminescence, but their exoskeleton contains fluorescent substances that are activated by exposure to ultraviolet waves of a certain wavelength.
7. fireflies Lampyridae
There are about 2000 species of beetles in this family. All of them have luminous organs different types. The most common is the lantern, located on the terminal segments of the abdomen. Light signals of different intensity and duration are a means of communication between females and males.
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