bioluminescence

[Jumpinghorse]

Hi all! A couple of night ago just prior to a full moon, I was walking on the dock at the marina and spotted small, bright green glowing things in the water just below the surface . I am sorry I didnt get a picture! I have not seen an bioluminecant creature like this before. I have sailed 1,000's of miles of ocean and seen many creatures glow but the behavior of this was diffrent than any I have ever seen. I suspect it was a jelly of some sort. It looked like a tiny glow worm wiggling and leaving a trail of "glow" before it would fade away in a few seconds. It seems like there was a body connected to the glowing parts but it was very dark even with the moon near full. I think it might be a jelly fish luring small fish to itself with one glowing and wiggling tentacle but I am not sure. It wasn't a moon jelly because I have seen these guys light up when you disturb them and this was very diffrent.
Anyone have any information on what type of marine organism this might have been?

 

[divingjade]

Could they be tiny amphipods? I have seen lots of tiny ampipods glow at night and they move erratically and can look like tiny glowing worms because of the patterns of their movement. I saw this happen along the shore line it was beautiful...

 

[eponym]

It wasn't a comb jelly by any chance? Probably not, based on your description and your vantage point, but I offer the option anyway . . .

-Bryan

 

[Jumpinghorse]

Thanks for the ideas! The description of the amphipod sound very close. It could have been a comb jelly I guess but it looked like it had tentacles..or a least one long glowing one and combs don't have flowing tentacles. I will do some more research on it. Thanks again!

 

[archman]

Goo from worm butts (epitoke). Look here.
Bermuda Fireworm, (Odontosyllis enopla)

I see this all the time in the Keys. Pretty cool.

 

[Scubakevdm]

Ooh, ooh! I bet I know... I have to go look it up though. There's some kind of planktonic shrimp or something that shoots a single bioluminescent trace, I think to confuse preditors. I'n doing an interview right now though, but when I'm done I'll see if I can find video of it and a name.

 

[Missdirected]

 

[Scubakevdm]

Okay, not a shrimp.. a copepod. I can't find video of it, except on my favorite DVD; Deep Blue.

 

[Jumpinghorse]

Awesome! I have not had time to look any of this up but I sure will as soon as I can! I love this stuff! Very interesting! I have noticed that they seem to come to the surface around the full moon.