Bioluminescence 



in Gonyaulax polyedra* 



F. T. Haxo and Beatrice M. Sweeney 



Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 



University of California, La Jolla, California 



Gonyatilax polyedra is a photosynthetic marine dinoflagellate which 

 is occasionally responsible for striking luminescent displays in the 

 coastal waters of Southern California. The individual cells are ar- 

 mored; they are polyhedral in shape, 45/a long and 41)U. wide and con- 

 tain a heavily pigmented brown protoplast, in which the chlorophyll 

 is masked by an abundance of carotenoid pigments. 



The unialgal culture of Gomjaulax polyedra investigated was 

 started from net samples collected off Scripps Pier on September 22, 

 1952. Since that time, the organism has been maintained in aged sea 

 water, diluted to 75% of full strength with twice-distilled water, and 

 supplemented with 2 X IQ-^M KNO3, 2 X IQ-'^M K2HPO4, 6 X 10-^ 

 M FeCls, 6 X 10-"M MnClo, ethylene diamine tetracetic acid 

 (EDTA), 10 mg per liter, and 2% soil extract. Liquid flask cultures 

 were grown either at room temperature in a window with a northern 

 exposure, or at 20° C under continuous illumination from white 

 fluorescent lamps, at an intensity of about 700 foot-candles. Growth 

 was about equally good in full-strength and half-strength sea water, 

 or in media in which the supplementary salts were reduced to one- 

 half the above values. 



Soil extract was required for growth in aged sea water and could 

 not be replaced by vitamin B]2 alone. No growth, however, was ob- 

 tained in artificial sea water supplemented with soil extract. At 20° C, 



Scripps Contribution No. 744. 



415 



