April 25, 2024
Light signaling is one of the earliest forms of communication that we know of — it’s very important in deep waters.
Research Zoologist and curator of corals at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, Andrea Quattrini, co-author of a new study suggesting the first “glow-in-the-dark animals“ could have been soft, deep-sea corals that lived hundreds of millions of years ago. The study was led by Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute collaborators at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
Term To Know – Bioluminescence: “Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. … If you’ve ever seen a firefly, you have encountered a bioluminescent organism. In the ocean, bioluminescence is not as rare as you might think. In fact, most types of animals, from bacteria to sharks, include some bioluminescent members” (National Ocean Service).
Big Picture: In a study published on Wednesday, researchers revealed the earliest-known bioluminescent animal may have been deep-sea coral living more than 500 million years ago. This is much earlier than the prior earliest-known example of a bioluminescent creature – a prehistoric shrimp. Many coral species will glow briefly when touched, though “scientists aren’t sure if this luminous reaction is meant to attract or repel other organisms, or perhaps both,” The Associated Press reports, noting one of the study’s co-authors explained “its frequency suggests that it serves a crucial function in many coral species.”
Why It Matters: According to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, the study’s results “could one day help scientists decode why the ability (of bioluminescence) evolved in the first place.”
Read More: Bioluminescence First Evolved in Animals at Least 540 Million Years Ago (Smithsonian Institute)
The first glow-in-the-dark animals may have been ancient corals deep in the ocean (The Associated Press)
by Leah Grainery, based in Texas
