Bioluminescent Sharks - Glowing in the Ocean

Описание: Bioluminescence, both the production and emission of light from a living organism is an incredible phenomenon both to study and observe, and has been well documented in a range of genera, well over 700+, with the vast majority being found in the oceans. Among the animals that possess said features, bioluminescence can be used for a variety of functions, including communication, orientation, and even in prey detection and or avoidance.

Among vertebrates, bioluminescence has been noted to have evolved both in ray-finned and cartilaginous fishes and has done so repeatedly and in a range of genera. The latter, comprising sharks, have also been known to exhibit some form of bioluminescence, with up to 10% of the 540+ described species being known to do so, and more examples continue to be found, something which is often unknown of and overlooked. It can occur in a variety of ways, with true bioluminescence coming from light-producing chemicals which different species use in different ways, as mentioned earlier. This is a separate and therefore different process from the similarly named biofluorescence, in which blue light hits the surface of an animal and is then reemitted as a different colour, although this phenomenon is just as interesting.

In sharks, bioluminescence comes from a chemical reaction that occurs either within specialised cells, these being known as photogenic cells, or photocytes which are often embedded in organs called photophores which can reach a high degree of sophistication, including light guides, reflectors, and even optical lenses utilising hormones to control their light emission. To better understand this and how their ability to glow impacts them and their behaviour, their functionality was examined by a study in 2019 for the first time in two Lanternshark species, being the Southern and Blackbelly Lanternsharks, as well as the Kitefin shark off of the coast of New Zealand. I hope you enjoy.

Background music:
Ether Oar - The Whole Other
Thin Places - Jesse Gallagher

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