Noctiluca

The noctiluca (from the Latin nox, noctis, night + lūcēre, to shine) is a unicellular organism marine that biology includes within the genus of dinoflagellate protists, within the class Noctiluciphyceae and the order of Noctilucales.

It has two heterocontous flagella on the sulcus and cingulum. The cells that make up this protozoan are vesicular, frequently vacuolized, and both the flagella and the grooves are rudimentary. It also has a mobile tentacle that it uses to capture prey.

Symbiosis

Sometimes it has symbiotic algae attached to it. These algae have an enzyme that, when reacted with oxygen, causes a flash of bioluminescent light, from which the organism gets its name.

Noctiluca scintillans is symbiotically related to Pedinomonas noctilucae, a green Pedinophyceae alga, which can be located internally or externally attached.

A population of dinoflagellates (Noctiluca sp.) Turn the ocean into a bright blue color due to the bioluminescence produced by them.