Bioluminescence is the production of light by living organisms. The environment organizes this list of bioluminescent organisms, covering terrestrial, marine, and microorganisms.
Terrestrial animals Certain arthropods Coleoptera (beetles) Lampyridae (Fireflies) Phengodidae (Glowworm beetles) railroad worms Rhagophthalmidae Sinopyrophoridae Certain Elateridae (Click beetles) Pyrophorini Balgus Campyloxenus Diptera (true flies) Certain keroplatid fungus gnats Myriapoda Certain centipedes Geophilus carpophagus Orphnaeus brevilabiatus Certain millipedes Genus Motyxia Some land snails Quantula striata Quantula weinkauffiana Genus Phuphania Annelids Octochaetus multiporus Microscolex phosphoreus Pontodrilus litoralis
Marine animals
Fish Anglerfish Gulper eel Lanternfish Stomiiformes Marine hatchetfish Viperfish Black dragonfish Midshipman fish Pineconefish Lanterneye fish Some Squaliformes Lantern sharks Kitefin sharks Velvet dogfish
Invertebrates A deep-sea species of carnivorous sponge (Cladorhizidae) Many Cnidarians Sea pens Renilla reniformis Coral Certain Jellyfish Aequorea victoria Atolla jellyfish Helmet jellyfish Certain Ctenophores (comb jellies) Some Tunicates: Larvaceans Salps Ascidiacea Doliolida Pyrosomes Certain echinoderms (e.g. Ophiurida) Amphiura filiformis Ophiopsila aranea Ophiopsila californica Amphipholis squamata Many Crustaceans: Seed shrimp (Myodocopa) Copepods Lophogastrids (Gnathophausia) Amphipods Krill Decapods (shrimp and prawn) Genus Heterocarpus Two species of Chaetognaths (arrow worms) Caecosagitta macrocephala Eukrohnia fowleri Annelida Genus Tomopteris Genus Swima Certain polynoids Mollusca Certain Bivalves (clams) Pholas dactylus Certain Nudibranchs (sea slugs) Plocamopherus maderae Certain sea snails Hinea brasiliana Many Cephalopods Certain Octopuses Bolitaenidae Stauroteuthis Vampire squid Sepiolida Many Teuthida (squid) Cranchiidae Colossal Squid Mastigoteuthidae Histioteuthidae Enoploteuthoidea Firefly squid
Freshwater animals Latia, a genus of four species of freshwater snail
Fungi
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 polyedra
References