February 26, 2016

Did you know that there are fireflies in the ocean? The firefly squid (ほたるいか in Japanese) is about three inches long. The animal has photophores that allow it to produce light. This bioluminescence protects the squid from predators. When predators are looking up from the ocean depths, the bright light emitted from the squid allows it to blend in with the light shining from the sun/moon. In other words, there is no shadow from above so the predators think there is no prey. Each year, the firefly squids travel to Toyama Bay for spawning. Since these squid only live for about a year, many wash up on the shores and provide tasty snacks for both the seabirds and locals. Just be sure to eat them cooked.