Every time we explore life in the deep sea we find more and more creatures that bioluminensce. Around 80% of all eukaryotic life in waters below 200 meters are thought to have this ability. In this study by Matthew Davis of The University of Kansas (USA) and fellow researchers, it emerges that diversity of species (species richness) in deep sea fish groups may be influenced by photophores – light emitting cells on the body of fish.

The researchers work found that some lineages of the lanternfishes (Myctophidae) – which are made up of over 250 species – have photophores with species-specific patterns. This means species can clearly be identified from one another. This diversification seems to have happened after the evolution of the lanternfishes photophores some 73 – 104 million years ago. As diversification of photophores occurred, so too did speciation.

Read the paper here http://dx.doi/10.1007/s00227-014-2406-x.