bioluminescence

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the production and emission of light by living organisms through enzymatic oxidation reactions involving the protein luciferin and the enzyme luciferase, evolved independently dozens of times across diverse lineages including dinoflagellates, jellyfish, fireflies, anglerfish, ostracods, squid, and numerous species of deep sea fish and invertebrates; bioluminescence serves diverse ecological functions including predator avoidance through counterillumination, prey attraction, intraspecific communication and mate recognition, and the stunning blue-green flashes of bioluminescent bays produced by dinoflagellate blooms when disturbed by waves or swimming animals; in the deep sea, where no sunlight penetrates, approximately ninety percent of organisms can produce light, making bioluminescence the dominant form of visual communication in the planet's largest habitat