This resemblance to a snow-covered plain led the Dutch to call such 

 appearances the "winter ocean" or "the white water, " the latter term 

 particularly suited in describing the snow-white luminescence often ob- 

 served diiring late winter in the Banda Sea. 



Systematic collections of reports concerning biolumine scent seas 

 were not made until comparatively recent times. During the latter half 

 of the 19th centxiry, articles published by the Meteorological Offices of 

 both England and Germany included records of bioluminescent displays, 

 primarily in the Atlantic Ocean. More recently the incidence of bio- 

 liiminescence in the Atlantic was charted by Smith (l93l)« His charts 

 were based upon numerous observations of bioluminescence reported in the 

 British publication "The Marine Observer." The seasonal distribution of 

 displays in the Arabian Sea and adjacent regions was reported in the 

 publication "Der Seewart" (1939) • Turner (1965) has recently written a 

 comprehensive report on the nature and occurrence of marine bioliimines- 

 cence. This report was received as our publication was going to press. 



LUMINESCEm: MARIKE ORGANISMS 



Plankton organisms chiefly are responsible for bioluminescence in 

 the sea. The smallest forms are luminescent bacteria which usually live 

 on decaying matter or within various marine animals. However, with a 

 supply of the proper nutrients, luminescent bacteria can develop in great 

 masses in the sea, causing a general bluish green glow in the water. The 

 glow is usually diffuse and barely detectable, although exceptionally 

 bright displays caused by luminous bacteria occasionally are observed in 

 coastal regions neax the outflow of large rivers. The light given off 

 frequently outlines the current front where the river and ocean meet. 

 Soviet investigators believe that luminescent bacteria have a much larger 

 role in producing bioluminescence than that considered by American or 

 European scientists. 



Most bioluminescence in the oceans is produced by one- celled organisms 

 called dinoflagellates. Of these small luminescent organisms, members of 

 the genus Noctiluca are associated most frequently with strong displays of 

 light. Although individuals are just visible to the eye, they can develop 

 in such prodigious numbers that they color the water pink or red by day. 

 Noctiluca is particularly abundant in coastal waters and at night imparts 

 a rather brilliant greenish glow to the water when mechanically disturbed. 

 Fishermen in some regions have long used the cry of "Noctiluca I" to bring 

 fiery illuminations to the attention of their fellow fishermen, regard- 

 less of the organism causing the luminescence. Holder (I887) observed a 

 display caused by vast accumiilations of Noctiluca . He reported: 



"On the lOth of April, in the evening, the sea in the roadstead 

 of Simonstown, Cape of Good Hope, presented an extraordinary 

 phosphorescence of a most vivid character. At whatever points 

 the phosphorescence was greatest, the water was colored on the 

 surface as red blood and it contained such an immense quantity 

 of little globules ( Noctiluca ) that it had the consistency of 

 syrup, the globules consisting of more than half the volume of 

 the seawater." 



