The ocean, the boundless sea on this blue planet, is the cradle of life on our planet. In this mysterious and deep world, there are many wonderful life phenomena and strange creatures hidden. Today, we're going to talk about a little guy that sparkles in the ocean – a shimmering creature.
First of all, what are shimmering creatures? Simply put, those miniature creatures that can emit light or reflect light, they generally live in the depths of the ocean, because there is no sunlight shining there, so these shimmering creatures illuminate their surroundings by emitting their own light, and thus attract prey or mates. For example, firefly fish, krill, etc. are typical low-light creatures.
Let's take a look at some of the interesting properties of the Shimmer creatures!
Fluorescent fish are a special type of fish that live in the dark areas of the bottom of the ocean, and they have special cells called "luminescents", which contain a substance called "fluorescein", and when it comes into contact with oxygen, it will produce a chemical reaction and release dazzling light. Some glowing fish glow blue-green all over their bodies, like underwater elves, while others glow with parts of their bodies, such as their heads, tails or backs, like a shining colourful lantern.
Krill is another very peculiar sea creature that contains a large number of calcium phosphate crystals in its body, which produce a faint green light in dark environments. In addition to this feature, krill has a very unique body structure. They are usually only a few centimeters long but possess a pair of powerful jaws that can easily crush hard food. In addition, krill has a special function, that is, it can change its color and luster by adjusting the fat content in the body to adapt to different living environments.
Then take a look at the lobsters, including our old friend crayfish. In some cases, these creatures also emit a faint blue-white glow. Scientists have discovered that this is due to a compound in their bodies called "phycocyanin," a complex of proteins and some type of pigment molecule. In some cases (e.g., under threat or other stimuli), lobsters secrete large amounts of this compound, giving their entire body a brilliant blue-white glow.
That's it for several shimmering creatures in the ocean. Although these magical little things are small and weak, they have such powerful survival skills and charm that they have to make people marvel at the great creativity of nature. And for humans, learning about these creatures that live in the abyss not only satisfies our curiosity, but also allows us to better understand the diversity and complexity of this world. Therefore, it is hoped that more researchers will devote themselves to this unknown and miraculous land in the future to explore more scientific mysteries.