10 brilliant species capable of transforming landscapes into something magical

When someone talks about species that have their own light, we quickly think of fireflies. But there are many other beings that manage to give a super special glow to darkness. Species with this type of characteristic are known as bioluminescent, that is, they are capable of emanating their own light.

We, from awesome.club, we are passionate about nature. Therefore, we bring 10 species capable of creating a true light show.

Many people love to see the sky reflected in the water. Therefore, being able to glimpse the reflection of hundreds of jellyfish on the bottom of the sea, as if they were stars, is something really impressive. But you have to be careful! They don’t glow for fun, but to threaten their predators or to seduce small prey with their beauty.

Fireflies could not be missing from our list. Their green light is well known in the field and nothing is more fun than looking at them when we are children. They can also be found in cities, especially the hottest ones. Fireflies glow for different reasons: hunting, protection, and often release light through their bellies to court females. Yes, they conquer other fireflies (or other fireflies) for their light.

It is more difficult to pronounce the name of this species than to find it, as ctenophora can be found in many countries. Usually, people confuse their appearance with that of jellyfish, and not just lay people, scientists too. Therefore, they were included in the same group. Ctenophora are also known by the names of sea carambola or comb jellyfish.

Perhaps they are too small to appear individually in a non-microscopic photo, but together, the noctiluca scintillans can create a real spectacle, like the one we see in the image above. They are also known as ‘spark of the sea’, a perfect nickname, as they release a blue color that seems to ignite the waters in the dark. This species can be found in many parts of the world, mainly in estuaries. However, to perceive its presence, thousands of individuals need to be together.

For many people, finding an earthworm is not exactly a pleasant scene. Finding thousands is reason to run. But these ‘worms of light’ can transform a dark cave into a luxurious environment, as if filled with diamonds. They are mostly found in North America.

It must be amazing to walk through a forest and find lots of glowing fungi. Of course, the scene would make us think we’re in a fairy tale; but it’s not about magic, it’s nature. Also called styptic fungi, they adorn trees in North America and their light comes from their gills.

If the previous fungi made us think we were in a magical forest, these ones seem to take us to a true paranormal world. Don’t worry, the name was given because they are found in old (dead) wood. Ghost fungi are commonly found in Australia and Tasmania and their luminosity can vary greatly; they are usually easier to see when our eyes are accustomed to darkness.

Don’t think that someone threw glitter in the waters of the Maldives to make them look like this. This happens because of the plankton, microscopic organisms that live on the surface of the water. Plankton allows us to see this spectacle, even if only in photographs.

This insect looks like the firefly, but they are not ‘relatives’. When we look at pyrophorus up close, we realize that their abdomen is also bioluminescent, with equal or greater intensity than their eyes, but this can only be observed when they fly.

Do not think that this is lightning that decided to fall into Japanese waters. We’re looking at an image of a firefly squid. Looking at just one is already beautiful, but when many appear at the same time, a great spectacle is formed. This species measures approximately 7.62 meters and light is released from its body and tentacles as a form of protection from predators. This also happens when they are in heat.

Which of the images above did you like the most? Have you ever been lucky enough to see an episode like this live? If so, be sure to share a photo in the comments.