2802: Fireflies - Revision history

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 ==Transcript==
 :[Cueball and Megan are seen in silhouette (drawn in white against a black background) throughout the strip. They are walking to the right.]
 :Cueball: So where is this spot?
@@ Line 36: / Line 35: @@
 :Megan: They're starting!
-:[A panel as wide as the first four combined. Cueball and Megan stand in the tall grass, at night, and many stars can be seen in the sky above them. Above and below them, to their left and right, the lights of dozens of fireflies can be seen.]
+:[A panel as wide as the first four combined and below them. Cueball and Megan stand in the tall grass, at night, and many stars can be seen in the sky above them. Above and below them, to their left and right, the lights of dozens of fireflies can be seen.]
 :Cueball: I'm glad we got a planet that has these.
 :Megan: Yeah, it's a good one.

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:43, 29 July 2023
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	==Explanation==		==Explanation==
−	~~{{incomplete\|Created by THE INSECT VERSION OF DYLAN THOMAS. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}~~
−
	{{w\|Fireflies}} are varieties of beetles that emit flashes of light, a process known as {{w\|bioluminescence}}. Megan explains that while this ability is not uncommon in ocean-dwelling species, it's pretty rare on land. Presumably, this is because sunlight doesn't penetrate very far under water, so there's evolutionary pressure there to develop a process to generate one's own light. Land animals, on the other hand, have much less need to generate their own light -- even at night there's light from the moon and stars, so nocturnal animals tend to have good eyesight or other enhanced sensory abilities ({{w\|echolocation}}, {{w\|olfaction}}, etc). It's thought that bioluminescence in fireflies originally served {{w\|aposematism\|aposematically}} to ward off predators from larvae, but that it was co-opted as an adult mating signal. There are many varieties of {{w\|List of bioluminescent fungus species\|bioluminescent fungus species}}, and the ecological benefit of that effect is uncertain. Some ocean-dwelling species, such as {{w\|anglerfish}}, use their bioluminescence as lures for prey, whilst other creatures {{w\|Counter-illumination\|use it as camouflage}}. Yet others may employ such light as warning and/or as mating signals to deliberately reveal (not conceal) their presence. Often creatures with sufficient control of their phosphorescence can even fulfil multiple purposes according to need. These functions are similar to how organisms in more well-lit environments might normally rely upon surface hues (of skin, fur, feathers, scales, etc.) that work more ({{w\|Chromatophore\|or less}}) passively under external illumination. Megan also mentions fatty acid enzymes, presumably a reference to {{w\|luciferase}}, a class of enzymes used by fireflies and many other bioluminescent organisms.		{{w\|Fireflies}} are varieties of beetles that emit flashes of light, a process known as {{w\|bioluminescence}}. Megan explains that while this ability is not uncommon in ocean-dwelling species, it's pretty rare on land. Presumably, this is because sunlight doesn't penetrate very far under water, so there's evolutionary pressure there to develop a process to generate one's own light. Land animals, on the other hand, have much less need to generate their own light -- even at night there's light from the moon and stars, so nocturnal animals tend to have good eyesight or other enhanced sensory abilities ({{w\|echolocation}}, {{w\|olfaction}}, etc). It's thought that bioluminescence in fireflies originally served {{w\|aposematism\|aposematically}} to ward off predators from larvae, but that it was co-opted as an adult mating signal. There are many varieties of {{w\|List of bioluminescent fungus species\|bioluminescent fungus species}}, and the ecological benefit of that effect is uncertain. Some ocean-dwelling species, such as {{w\|anglerfish}}, use their bioluminescence as lures for prey, whilst other creatures {{w\|Counter-illumination\|use it as camouflage}}. Yet others may employ such light as warning and/or as mating signals to deliberately reveal (not conceal) their presence. Often creatures with sufficient control of their phosphorescence can even fulfil multiple purposes according to need. These functions are similar to how organisms in more well-lit environments might normally rely upon surface hues (of skin, fur, feathers, scales, etc.) that work more ({{w\|Chromatophore\|or less}}) passively under external illumination. Megan also mentions fatty acid enzymes, presumably a reference to {{w\|luciferase}}, a class of enzymes used by fireflies and many other bioluminescent organisms.