| Light produced by living organisms is known as Bioluminescence. The light produced by luminescent organs in fishes, depends on luminescent bacteria living on the fish in a symbiotic relationship in special cells. However some fishes do produce a chemical that reacts with water to produce light. The bacterial light usually produced as a result of an enzyme luciferase mediated oxidation reaction in which a molecule luciferin changes its shape and emits a single photon of light in the process. The luciferin molecule is a complex molecule and can later be returned to its original shape through a reduction reaction during which it gains an amount of energy equivalent to the single photon of light and fish can control the amount of light emitted by controlling the blood flow, and hence the oxygen supply, to the cells containing the bacteria. In symbiosis ,the bacteria are nourished with readily available food sources for growth, and at the same time the host utilizes the adapted illumination for communication, preying for food, and attracting mates, to masquerade itself from predators. |