The Collaborative International Dictionary
Photophore \Pho"to*phore\, n. [Photo- + Gr. fe`rein to bear.]
(Med.) A form of endoscope using an electric light.
(Zo["o]l.) A light-emitting organ; specif., one of the luminous spots on certain marine (mostly deep-sea) fishes.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context biology English) A light-emitting organ, found in some fish and other marine animals. 2 (cx medicine English) A form of endoscope using an electric light.
Wikipedia
A photophore is a light-emitting organ which appears as luminous spots on various marine animals, including fish and cephalopods. The organ can be simple, or as complex as the human eye; equipped with lenses, shutters, color filters and reflectors. The light can be produced from compounds during the digestion of prey, from specialized mitochondrial cells in the organism, called photocytes ("light producing" cells), or, similarly, associated with symbiotic bacteria in the organism that is cultured.
The character of photophores is important in the identification of deep sea fishes. Photophores on fish are used mainly for attracting food or confusing predators. Photophores are found on some cephalopods, including Watasenia scintillans, the sparkling enope or firefly squid, which can create impressive light displays.
"diadema".jpg|Arrangement of various photophores on the squid Lycoteuthis lorigera hygomii Photophores.jpg|Photophores on a lanternfish, which worldwide is the most common deep sea fish anglerfish has a dorsal fin whose first ray has become very long and is tipped with a luminous photophore fishing lure
Usage examples of "photophore".
The photophores are between the skin and the mantle muscle in terrestrial squid.
That meant the photophores were somehow connecting to his brain, to his speech centers.
She was a ghost: the sunlight penetrated her like a stained-glass window left to grow filthy in a neglected church, her photophores and reflectors providing brilliant splashes of color.
Like the adult barnacle, the exterior of the ring was dotted with light-sensitive photophores, and when a suitable place for attachment was sensed, the ring colony was able to orient itself by means of excretions sprayed through pores in the skin of the tube, a method not dissimilar to that utilized by orbital vessels when aligning themselves for re-entry.
Like the adult barnacle, the exterior of the ring was dotted with light-sensitive photophores, and when a suitable place for attachment was sensed, the ring colony was able to orient itself by means of excretions sprayed through pores in the skin of the tube, a method not dissimilar to that utilized by orbital vessels when aligning themselves for reentry.
At closer range it resolves into a string of smaller lights stretched in an arc, like photophores on the flank of some enormous fish.
The growths oozed raw and red in daylight, but at night the ichor glowed like the photophores of deepwater fish.
The barnacles, perhaps sensing some vast overload of light through their photophores.
Like the adult barnacle, the exterior of the ring was dotted with light-sensitive photophores, and when a suitable place for attachment was sensed, the ring colony was able to orient itself by means of excretions sprayed through pores in the skin of the tube, a method not dissimilar to that utilized by orbital vessels when aligning themselves for re-entry.
Like the adult barnacle, the exterior of the ring was dotted with light-sensitive photophores, and when a suitable place for attachment was sensed, the ring colony was able to orient itself by means of excretions sprayed through pores in the skin of the tube, a method not dissimilar to that utilized by orbital vessels when aligning themselves for reentry.