Bioluminescence 2009: Living Light on the Deep Sea Floor

Bioluminescence is a fascinating phenomenon that is relatively rare on land but is common in all the world's oceans. At least 12 animal phyla, as well as Eubacteria and Protista, have marine bioluminescent representatives (Herring 2002). Although bioluminescence has been extensively studied in the pelagic zone (water column), most information on its occurrence in the deep-sea (>200 m) benthos is fragmentary and anecdotal, a result of the difficulty in retrieving intact benthic organisms from trawls and dredges. Most specimens arrive at the surface dead or moribund, or are not examined for their bioluminescence potential before being preserved. While the ability to bioluminesce can be inferred from the presence of photophores or weak bioluminesce in moribund organisms, the true potential of bioluminescent systems must be examined on living, undamaged animals.