Robin Gwen Agarwal, USA
Info
Sapphirina Thompson J., 1829
Sapphirina, whose members are commonly known as sea sapphires, is a genus of parasitic copepods in the family Sapphirinidae.
In different species of Sapphirina, males glow in different hues, from bright gold to deep blue. This is partly due to structural colouration, where microscopic layers of crystal plates within their cells are separated by tiny distances, and those distances correspond to the same wavelength of the corresponding color of their "luster". Females are translucent, males are also transparent when not glowing.
Sea sapphires are only a few millimeters in size. They are widespread in the epipelagic zone of tropical and subtropical seas.
In Japan, fishermen call this beautiful phenomenon in the sea "tama-mizu" - gemstone water.
One species of Sapphirina is known to be invisible to UV light due to the special structure of its plates. These very interesting copepods are of scientific interest for research and development of photonic crystals.
Food: Sapphirina nigromaculata is known to feed on the planktonic, gelatinous sea squirt Dolioletta gegenbauri.
Sapphirina, whose members are commonly known as sea sapphires, is a genus of parasitic copepods in the family Sapphirinidae.
In different species of Sapphirina, males glow in different hues, from bright gold to deep blue. This is partly due to structural colouration, where microscopic layers of crystal plates within their cells are separated by tiny distances, and those distances correspond to the same wavelength of the corresponding color of their "luster". Females are translucent, males are also transparent when not glowing.
Sea sapphires are only a few millimeters in size. They are widespread in the epipelagic zone of tropical and subtropical seas.
In Japan, fishermen call this beautiful phenomenon in the sea "tama-mizu" - gemstone water.
One species of Sapphirina is known to be invisible to UV light due to the special structure of its plates. These very interesting copepods are of scientific interest for research and development of photonic crystals.
Food: Sapphirina nigromaculata is known to feed on the planktonic, gelatinous sea squirt Dolioletta gegenbauri.
