16th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Pyrosome
Greek for "fire" and "body", these massive colonies of interconnected tunicates are highly bioluminescent at night, often sustained rather than in pulses. Somewhat rare, these animals drift in warm open oceans. A turtle had just been feeding on this colony, hence the chunks missing.
Photo Detail
Date Taken: | 05.2018 |
Date Uploaded: | 11.2018 |
Photo Location: | Mexico |
Copyright: | © Samantha Schwann |