Whenever I would make my descent in Lembeh I would see these little bio luminescent arthopods... and after some tries I got a photo of one! Can anyone give me a species name?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64161944@N02/.../in/photostream
Thanks,
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Whenever I would make my descent in Lembeh I would see these little bio luminescent arthopods... and after some tries I got a photo of one! Can anyone give me a species name?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64161944@N02/.../in/photostream
Thanks,
These crustacean are circumtropical. As well as seeing them in Lembeh, I also used to see a lot in the Caribbean, though usually in the early morning. We called them 'Octopods', though I'm not sure of the exact species. I don't think they are bio luminescent, they just reflect the sunlight when in certain positions, which is why you do not see them all the time and they seem to turn on and off.
Copepods, genus Sapphirina. They're very common throughout the seas. Here are some close ups
http://www.flickr.com/photos/artour_a/3993...157624819281463
http://www.imagequest3d.com/pages/articles.../sapphirina.htm
http://www.animalsandearth.com/photo/view/...na%20sp#viewed#
http://solvinzankl.photoshelter.com/galler...0000s5ZF4MhSkhU
AFAIK, they are not bioluminescent, instead the males of this species have these flattened bodies and can reflect light in this way, rather than emit it.
SO even rarer trick that biolum.
Alex
EDIT: just read Peter Parks saying the same thing, but with more authority, on the link Lesley posted above.
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