Glowing sea cucumbers: Bioluminescence in the Holothuroidea

Bessho-Uehara, Manabu;Mallefet, Jérôme;Haddock, Steven H.D.
(2024) The World of Sea Cucumbers : Challenges, Advances, and Innovations — ISBN: [978-0-323-95377-1], p. 361-375, published

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  • Bessho-Uehara, ManabuInstitute for Advanced Research, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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  • Mallefet, Jérômeorcid-logoUCLouvain
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  • Haddock, Steven H.D.Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), Moss Landing, CA, United States
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Abstract
Bioluminescence, light production by a living organism, is often seen in deep-sea benthic animals, including sea cucumbers. In this chapter, we review holothuroid bioluminescence from taxonomic, behavioral, and biochemical perspectives and describe new observations with an evolutionary analysis. Holothuroids emit light in response to physical stimuli, spontaneous bioluminescence having not been observed. All luminous holothuroids emit light from their body walls and are not known to secrete it extracellularly, although in some species the glowing skin may be shed in the water. The color of emitted light ranges from blue to blue-green, with wavelength peaks between 463 and 505 nm. The chemical basis of light production is unknown, although there is no evidence that bacteria are involved. Out of 249 genera in Holothuroidea, bioluminescence has been reported in 26, including 10 species reported here as discovered to be bioluminescent for the first time. These new observations include the genus Molpadia, which is the first luminous member of the order Molpadida. Using a recent molecular phylogeny, we estimated six independent origins of bioluminescence in the Holothuroidea, suggesting that more than 200 species are possibly bioluminescent. These insights point to the prevalence and ecological importance of bioluminescence in the deep sea, which is susceptible to severe disruption by deep-sea mining and other human activities.
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Bessho-Uehara, M., Mallefet, J., & Haddock, S. H. D. (2024). Glowing sea cucumbers: Bioluminescence in the Holothuroidea. In Annie Mercier, Andrew D. Suhrbier, Jean-François Hamel, Christopher M. Pearce (eds.) (ed.), The World of Sea Cucumbers : Challenges, Advances, and Innovations (p. p. 361-375). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-95377-1.00003-5