Bioluminescent Dinoflagellate

Single-celled plankton that make the ocean glow blue/Biology & Ecosystems

Bioluminescent dinoflagellates, particularly species like Noctiluca scintillans, are single-celled marine organisms that produce blue-green light when disturbed. Each cell is about 0.2 to 2 mm in diameter and produces a flash lasting roughly 100 milliseconds. When billions concentrate in warm coastal waters, they create the spectacular glowing waves seen in places like the Maldives, Puerto Rico, and California. The light is produced by the enzyme luciferase acting on the substrate luciferin.