Why Animals Make Light Bioluminescent animals can put on a show. But for them, making light is about more than just looking pretty. It can be a matter of life or death. Let’s dive into the ocean to see how. More than 2,000 meters below the


ocean’s surface, an anglerfish swims in the darkness. It’s looking for a tasty catch. Its jaws hang wide open. Above its head, this fish waves a long rod that looks like a worm. On the end is a lighted ball. Tis is the anglerfish’s fishing lure. Glowing bacteria fills the lure.


Smaller fish see the bright, waving light. Tey swim to it. Tey don’t see the anglerfish’s dark body looming below the light until—chomp!


To Hunt Nearby, a deadly octopus hovers in the water. It also uses light to find prey. It opens its arms, and rows of flashing cells light up. Tis octopus needs lights on its tentacles, not just sticky suckers, to help trap prey. Smaller creatures swim to the


winking lights. Te octopus wants to eat them. When they swim close, the blinking arms snatch them. Te octopus shoves them into its mouth.


6 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER


To Scare Many creatures use their light to scare off predators. A good example is the “burglar-alarm” jelly. Whenever it’s threatened, this jelly sets off a display of flashing lights. Tese lights can surprise a predator.


Tey might do something else, too. Scientists think the lights might attract larger predators. As a larger predator approaches,


the jelly turns off its lights. It glides away safely. Ten the larger predator swallows up the original predator.


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