Bioluminescence in the Porcupine Seabight 2

This video of bioluminescence on the seafloor is taken by the ISIT lander at 1000m in the NE Atlantic (Porcupine Seabight). When the lights are on the arrow tooth eel Synaphobranchus kaupii are visible swimming around the bait. When the lander lights go out, all that is visible are bursts of bioluminescence emitted by small crustaceans called ostracods. Ostracods are believed to use bioluminescence as a defensive mechanism (temporarily blinding the eels to escape predation). A dog fish appears at the end of the sequence.
Video footage copyrig ht OceanLab, University of Aberdeen.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• HERMES
• bioluminescence
• Porcupine
• Seabight
• OceanLab
• University
• of
• Aberdeen