Bioluminescent Marine Plankton

This chapter deals with the different types of luminescence: chemiluminescence, photoluminescence, fluorescence, phosphorescence, and bioluminescence; types of bioluminescence viz. extra cellular luminescence, intrinsic luminescence and extrinsic luminescence (bacterial luminescence); distribution of bioluminescence in different groups of marine plankton such as dinoflagellates, crustaceans, cnidarians, ctenophores and tunicates; biological functions of bioluminescence; interactions among luminescent marine zooplankton and fish; and commercial and therapeutic applications of bioluminescence. 

This chapter deals with the basic bioluminescence reactions, emission maxima, and colour of light in pelagic and deep-sea bioluminescent organisms, luciferins of planktonic organisms, types of intrinsic bioluminescence such as coelenterazine-based light production and cypridina luciferin-based light production, and extrinsic bioluminescence. 

This chapter deals with the identified luminescent species of marine dinoflagellates and their description, emission maxima, total stimulable luminescence (TSL) in observed species of dinoflagellates. and their mechanism of bioluminescence.

This chapter deals with the identified luminescent species of marine, colonial radiolarians, emission maxima in observed species of marine radiolarians, the description of luminescent marine radiolarian species and their mechanism of bioluminescence.

This chapter deals with the total luminescent fauna of planktonic hydrozoa and scyphozoa, emission maxima in observed species of planktonic hydrozoa and scyphozoa, the description of luminescent marine species of planktonic hydrozoa and scyphozoa and their mechanism of bioluminescence.

This chapter deals with the total luminescent fauna of the phylum, Ctenophora,; the emission maxima in observed species of ctenophores, the description of luminescent species of ctenophores, and their mechanism of bioluminescence. 

This chapter deals with the luminescent species of planktonic annelids such as Tomopteris spp and syllid larva, the emission maxima in observed species of Tomopteris, the description of luminescent species of planktonic annelids and their mechanism of bioluminescence. 

This chapter deals with the luminescent species of Chaetognatha viz. Caecosagitta macrocephala and Eukrohnia fowleri,their emission maxima and mechanism of bioluminescence. 

This chapter deals with the luminescent species of planktonic marine crustaceans such as ostracods, copepods, amphipods, mysids, euphausiids and decapods; and their emission maxima and mechanism of bioluminescence. 

This chapter deals with the only luminescent species of planktonic marine nudibranch mollusc viz. Phylliroe bucephala,and its emission maxima and mechanism of bioluminescence. 

This chapter deals with the luminescent species of appendiculatians and thaliaceans; their emission maxima and mechanism of bioluminescence.

The role of bioluminescent marine plankton in the fisheries and the health of the oceans is fairly well known. Recent research has shown that this light could be of great use in therapeutic and biotechnological applications. While the marine bioluminescent, planktonic crustaceans are helpful in the treatment of cancers, other groups of marine plankton have their potential biotechnological applications, including hygiene control and mapping out pollution in ecosystems. However, further intensive research is needed on this vital aspect, especially when identifying lesser-known bioluminescent planktonic groups and their biomedical and biotechnological applications for the benefit of human society.