List of bioluminescent organisms

Updated on Oct 07, 2024

Edit

Comment

Bioluminescence is the production of light by living organisms. This list of bioluminescent organisms is organized by environment, covering terrestrial, marine and microorganisms.

Terrestrial animals

certain arthropods

fireflies

click beetle specific type

glow worms

railroad worms

certain mycetophilid flies

certain centipedes such as Geophilus carpophagus

certain millipedes such as Motyxia

a terrestrial mollusc (a tropical land snail)

Quantula striata

annelids

Fish

Anglerfish (actually symbiotic bacteria)

Cookiecutter shark

Catshark

Flashlight fish

Gulper eel

Lanternfish

Marine hatchetfish

Midshipman fish

Pineconefish

Viperfish

Black dragonfish

Invertebrates

Many cnidarians

Sea pens

coral

Aequorea victoria, a jellyfish

Certain Ctenophores or "comb jellies"

Certain echinoderms (e.g. Ophiurida)

Certain crustaceans

Ostracods

Copepods

Krill

Two species of chaetognaths

Certain molluscs

Certain clams, bivalves

Certain nudibranchs, sea slugs

few sea snails, such as Hinea brasiliana

The only land snail: Quantula striata

The only freshwater snail: Latia neritoides

Certain cephalopods

Certain Octopuses

Bolitaenidae

Vampire squid

Sepiolida

Many Teuthida (squid)

Colossal Squid

Mastigoteuthidae

Firefly squid

Bacteria

Photorhabdus luminescens

Certain species of the family Vibrionaceae (e.g. Vibrio fischeri, Vibrio harveyi, Photobacterium phosphoreum)

Certain species of the family Shewanellaceae, (e.g. Shewanella hanedai and Shewanella woodyi)

Other microorganisms

Protists

Certain Dinoflagellates (e.g. Noctiluca scintillans, Pyrodinium bahamense, Pyrocystis fusiformis and Lingulodinium polyedrum

References

List of bioluminescent organisms Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA