Light shows by these tiny crustaceans reveal rich biodiversity on Caribbean reefs

On moonless nights in the Caribbean, the sea erupts in spectacular displays put on by tiny crustaceans called ostracods. In other parts of the world these creatures only produce light to scare off predators, but in these waters, male ostracods spew glowing mucus to attract females. Researchers studying these “sea fireflies,” as they are sometimes called, found different species have unique lighting displays. Watch to see how researchers used advanced camera technology to study these creatures’ dazzling bioluminescence.