Bioluminescence is a general term describing an organism naturally producing light. This usually occurs as a chemical reaction between certain enzymes and light producing molecules either within the organism or within symbiotic bacteria inside the organism.
Specifics[]
Bioluminescence is generally encountered within various species of insects, cephalopods, fish, fungi, plants, and bacteria, although it appears elsewhere as well. Bioluminescence serves different functions depending on the role the organism plays within its ecosystem. It can be used to communicate with others of its kind, to lure prey, or to scare predators.
The Voroth Sea on Vulcan had whale-sized bioluminescent fish. (TOS - Crucible novel: The Fire and the Rose)
Risa had subterranean gardens of bioluminescent plants. (ENT episode: "Two Days and Two Nights")
Gedi Prime had bioluminescent waterfalls. (VOY episode: "Drive")
The Great Rainbow Expanse on M-317 is produced by huge colonies of bioluminescent bivmites. (TOS comic: "Murder on the Enterprise")
Foot-long kik-kiks on Angira have bioluminescent markings that look like glowing eyes. (TOS novel: Shadow Lord)
Both the Tzenkethi and Xelatians were sentient species that evolved bioluminescence.
History[]
The Star-jellies, bioluminescent cosmozoans.
In 1974, Chrysalis Project scientist Walter Takagi spliced firefly bioluminescence into a mouse. (ST - The Eugenics Wars novel: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh, Volume 1)
In 2000, bioluminescent proteins from a jellyfish were spliced into a rabbit's DNA in France. (ST - The Eugenics Wars novel: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh, Volume 1)
The crew of the Enterprise (NX-01) found a bioluminescent bug on Dakala in 2151. (ENT episode: "Rogue Planet")
In 2230, the Atlin Zoological Park on Andoria opened. It exhibits only bioluminescent animals, with more than 500 Alpha Quadrant species on display. (Decipher RPG module: Worlds)
Captain James T. Kirk saw many bioluminescent undersea animals while traveling eight kilometers below the ocean on Akkalla aboard the Cousteau in 2278. (TOS novel: Deep Domain)
In 2374, USS Enterprise-E's Lieutenant Baeta Leyoro saw 0 as a monstrous bioluminescent squid. (TNG - The Q Continuum novel: Q-Strike)
Aili Lavena encountered several bioluminescent animals while exploring the water world Droplet in 2381. (TTN novel: Over a Torrent Sea)
Bioluminescent species[]
- Amanita muscaria (Abaris variety)
- Antarean dryworm
- Antarean glow fish
- bivmite
- firefly
- fire-spider
- I'Iglii
- jellyfish
- Lightning lice
- kik-kik
- Kreetassan glowing lichen
- Rigelian firefly
- Risian glowbug
- Star-jelly
- Suja moss
- Teirenian ant
- Tzenkethi
- Xelatian
Appendices[]
External links[]
- Bioluminescence article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- Bioluminescence article at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.