by a joint Johns Hopkins University-U. S. Naval Oceanographic Office 

 team in February 1963- Fiorther investigative efforts along this line 

 are to be carried out by this group from July I965 to June I966. 



Until the early 20th century, another spectacularly biolumi nascent 

 bay near Nassau, Bahama Islands was described regularly. However, the 

 environment of the bay was changed by the dredging of a channel, and the 

 water can no longer support large populations of luminescent organisms. 



NORTHERN PACIFIC OCEAU AND ADJACENT SEAS (FIGURE h) 



Little information is available concerning the incidence of bio- 

 luminescence in the East China and Yellow Seas. Some displays occur in 

 the summer and autumn, when Noctiluca and Salpa often appear in very 

 large shoals; the former organism also may cause various degrees of 

 1-uminescence in coastal waters in spring. The water may appear greenish 

 and turbid by day because of masses of green-colored Noctiluca . This 

 particular species of Noctiluca has been observed to luminesce brightly 

 by Haneda (1955 )> although Ostrumoff (192^4-) and other workers consider 

 the green variety as nonlumine scent. Peridiniiim and Ceratium (lumin- 

 escent dinoflagellates) have been observed in large concentrations near 

 Nagasaki in October. 



Bioluminescence may be very brilliant at times along the west coast 

 of Kyushu and around some of its adjacent island groups. Observers on 

 the SS LAOMEDON noted that much reddish brown discolored scum was 

 floating in the water in April I928 as they approached the Danjo Islands 

 from the southwest. After sundown the patches gave off a bluish green 

 glare. During the evening they observed long streaks of "phosphores- 

 cence"; the light from the individual streaks was so bright that lights 

 from passing ships were obscured by the glare. This display lasted 

 throughout the night. The streaks had an oily appearance indicative of 

 concentrations of Noctiluca, in this case most likely the pink colored 

 species. 



The most prevalent type of bioluminescence in the Sea of Japan is 

 the sheet type, generally caused by pink Noctiluca. This dinoflagellate 

 is present throughout the year and is especially abundant in spring. It 

 and other luminescent dinoflagellates may cause a "red tide" along the 

 Japanese coast. 



Luminescent dinoflagellates, particularly Peridinium , have been ob- 

 served in large reddish blooms during late sijmmer along the Soviet coast 

 of the Sea of Japan. Luminescence in the water near Vladivostok is 

 caused by dinoflagellates from the latter part of August until the first 

 part of October. The light given off often is very intense. Euphausiids 

 or copepods contribute to the overall bioluminescence in August and 

 September. A diffuse luminescence consisting of sparkles often is noted 

 in bays such as the Bay of Patrokl (near Vladivostok) at this time, evi- 

 dence of the large number of euphausiids and copepods present in the 

 surface waters. 



23 



