RECOVERY AND STIMULATION OF COPEPOD BIOLUMINESCENCE

The depletion of bioluminescence that occurs during net collection and handling, and its subsequent recovery, was investigated in three species of oceanic calanoid copepods, Pleuromamma xiphias (Giesbrecht), Lucicutia flavicornis (Claus), and Gaussia princeps (T. Scott). Only 14-38% of total bioluminescence was present l h after collection. Recovery of light emission occurred at an exponential rate which did not vary with species. Full recovery of bioluminescence occurred within 1 day, and was due to increases in both the quantum emission of individual flashes and the number of flashes contributing to the response. Total bioluminescence was related to species size, as was the time to full recovery. Once fully recovered, P. xiphias produced three types of flashes in response to mechanical stimulation. These flash types differed in response kinetics and quantum emission. The rate of mechanical stimulation affected the rate at which flashes were produced and not the total amount of bioluminescence. Therefore, stimulus strength and duration will influence the nature of the bioluminescent response. © 1990.