Luminescent properties of fishes from nearshore California basins

Bioluminescence flash kinetics and quantum emissions of specimens of 10 species of fishes from the families Astronesthidae, Malacosteidae, Melanostomiatidae, Myctophidae, Stomiatidae and Sternoptychidae were determined. Fish were collected from the San Clemente and Santa Catalina basins of the Southern Californian Bight. Body photophores emitted long- lasting glows with peak photon fluxes to 3.0 x 10¹⁰ photons · s^-1. Caudal luminescent tissues exhibited both discrete flashes and spontaneous trains up to 30 Hz with average flash duration from 43 to 79 ms and peak photon fluxes of 2.2 x 10¹² photons · s^-1. Orbital photophore displays persisted up to 1415 ms with a maximum emission rate of 1 Hz and a maximum photon flux of 7.5 x 10¹¹ photons · s^-1. The flash kinetics and quantum intensity of the oral light organs from Sternoptyx diaphana Hermann are quantified for the first time. The flash durations of myctophid caudal organs were significantly shorter compared with congeners from Hawaiian waters, indicating that regional environmental conditions may account for shorter flash duration.