Bioluminescence Flashcards
(14 cards)
What is bioluminescence?
production of light by living creatures
Where is bioluminescence rare in?
Water
What organisms on land have bioluminescence?
beetles, flies, springtails, centipedes, millipedes, earthworms, snail
What is bioluminescence seen in in freshwater?
insect larvae, limpet
What is the role of biolumenscence in the ocean?
animal communication
What marine organisms has biolumescence?
cnidarians
ctenophores
chaetognaths
annelids
molluscs
arthropods
copepods
brittle stars
tunicates
What is one method of marine bioluminescence?
emitted by dinoflagellates rapidly flashing
What is luminescence?
emission of light without heat
How does luminescence?
uses chemical reactions where energy is used to excite a product molecule that releases energy as a photon instead of heat
What chemicals do luminescence use?
involves oxidation of luciferin, catalyzed by luciferase
How does luminescence color varies?
color varies (blue in shrimp/ dinoflagellates), blue-green (millipedes, ostracods, tunicates), and yellow/ red (fireflies)
What is an example of non-intrinsic luminescence
produced by symbiotic colonies in a light organ (squids)
What is rhodopsin?
retinal proteins that detect dim lights
What does rhodopsin allow?
to see bioluminescence of deep-sea shrimp, octopus
