Photographer Page

John Sparks

Under white lighting conditions, the stripes on this bream appear yellow. But turn on some blue light and attach a yellow filter to a camera to catch fluorescence, and you get the next photo.

Biofluorescence could be employed for a number of reasons, says Alexander Gaos, director of the Eastern Pacific Hawksbill Initiative. They include finding or attracting prey, defence, or some kind of communication.

Marine biologist David Gruber first noticed biofluorescence in fish when a green eel (similar to the one pictured) photobombed him and colleagues as they took pictures of biofluorescent coral.

This flatfish flashes a fiery orange-red on its back (pictured), but shows off a green fluorescent pattern on its belly.