Octopus suckers: glowing in the dark
by Jonathan Sarfati
One of the many remarkable features of the living world is that many types of organisms
emit light; including bacteria, fungi, fireflies and fish. This process, called
bioluminescence, is especially common in the deepest parts of the ocean,
where no sunlight reaches. Also, deep-ocean ‘fish eyes are designed to see
bioluminescence.’1
The Blue-ringed Octopus (above) appears to glow in the brightness of the photographer’s
flash. Creatures featuring true bioluminescence, such as the deep-sea Angler Fish,
are rarely seen by humans. Their intricate designs are fit for life in the deep.
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Bioluminescence converts chemical energy directly to light with almost 100% efficiency.2 Usually, light is produced when
the organic molecule luciferin is oxidized by the enzyme luciferase—these
chemicals are somewhat different for different organisms. Our own technology is
far less efficient—for example, ordinary light bulbs literally produce far
more heat than light.
Bioluminescence is quite common in squids and cuttlefish, but not in their fellow
cephalopods, the octopods. But recently, the deep-sea finned octopus, Stauroteuthis
syrtensis, about the size of a fist, was found to emit a fairly bright
blue-green light.3 The light comes
from organs very similar to suckers. But instead of having sucking muscles, the
organs have light-emitting cells.
This light is just about the best colour4
for the most efficient transmission in the ocean. Thus it would be ideal for communication,
for example, signaling to a mate. Also, in this fallen world, the light seems to
lure its prey. Since its ‘suckers’ don’t suck, but emit light
instead, the octopus ‘may trap small crustaceans in mucus produced near the
mouth’.3
The authors3 proposed that these light organs evolved
from real suckers, because of their common features. However, this is hardly conclusive
proof of evolution and against creation, because good engineers often use similar
designs for several different purposes.
More importantly, the authors3 failed to explain how
exactly the complex light-emitting system evolved gradually by random mutations
and natural selection. Partly complete luciferin molecules will not partly emit
light—they will emit no light at all, let alone light of the ideal color!
So natural selection cannot build up a light-emitting system via gradual
steps. One must also wonder what use a hypothetical transitional structure (the
‘suckers’) would be. Since it would be good for neither suction nor
light emission, its possessor would have a serious disadvantage, and would probably
be eliminated by natural selection, rather than favored.
This light-emitting octopus is yet another example of exquisite design, so people
are without excuse (Romans
1:20 ff.). It also shows that evolution is not based on the facts, but rather
the interpretation of the facts in a framework where design is dogmatically
excluded as a possible explanation.
Further reading
References and notes
- Pain, Stephanie, ‘Lair of the Dragon,’ New Scientist
161(2179):30–35, 27 March 1999, unfortunately believing that
the ‘design’ was due to evolutionary processes. Return to
text.
- ‘Bioluminescence,’ Encyclopædia
Britannica 2:223–225, 15th Ed. 1992. Return
to text.
- Johnsen, Sönke, Balser, Elisabeth J. and Widder, Edith A.,
‘Light-emitting suckers in an octopus,’ Nature 398(6723):113–114,
11 March 1999. Return to text.
- The octopus’s light has a maximum wavelength (the distance
between two successive wave crests) of 470 nm (nanometers—one million to a
millimeter). Maximum light transmission in the ocean occurs at 475 nm.
Return to text.
| It has been said that “Information is power”. When it comes to creation information we’d have to agree. Keep the ‘powerful’ evidence for God being Creator coming.  | | |
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