PHOTOS: Neon sea creatures light up ocean with vibrant colors

In what looked like a scene from Avatar. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
In what looked like a scene from Avatar. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)

Incredible neon sea creatures have been captured lighting up the ocean with their vibrant colors – in what looked like a scene from Avatar.

Photographer Simon Pierce, 39, took the images over several months after visiting both Nosy Sakatia in Madagascar and Mafia Island in Tanzania recently. He was thrilled to spot the biofluorescence creatures – which produce their own light – he managed to capture, including fireflies and glow worms.

Simon, who is also a marine biologist, from New Plymouth, New Zealand, said: “I felt like I was in the film Avatar capturing these images. “I wanted to capture a phenomena called biofluorescence.”

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Photographer Simon Pierce, 39, took the images over several months after visiting both Nosy Sakatia in Madagascar and Mafia Island in Tanzania recently. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
Photographer Simon Pierce, 39, took the images over several months after visiting both Nosy Sakatia in Madagascar and Mafia Island in Tanzania recently. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
He was thrilled to spot the biofluorescence creatures. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
He was thrilled to spot the biofluorescence creatures. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
Incredible neon sea creatures have been captured lighting up the ocean with their vibrant colors. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
Incredible neon sea creatures have been captured lighting up the ocean with their vibrant colors. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
He managed to capture, including fireflies and glow worms. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
He managed to capture, including fireflies and glow worms. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
Which produce their own light. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
Which produce their own light. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
Simon, who is also a marine biologist, from New Plymouth, New Zealand. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
Simon, who is also a marine biologist, from New Plymouth, New Zealand. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
I wanted to capture a phenomena called biofluorescence. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
I wanted to capture a phenomena called biofluorescence. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
I felt like I was in the film Avatar capturing these images. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
I felt like I was in the film Avatar capturing these images. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
In these photos, I was shining a blue light on the coral and various biofluorescent animals. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
In these photos, I was shining a blue light on the coral and various biofluorescent animals. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
Then filtering out the blue with a yellow filter on my camera so I only caught the reflection. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
Then filtering out the blue with a yellow filter on my camera so I only caught the reflection. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
These amazing colors probably do serve a purpose in nature. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
These amazing colors probably do serve a purpose in nature. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
Some fish have fluorescent lures to help attract prey. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
Some fish have fluorescent lures to help attract prey. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
Some small shark species are thought to use their fluorescence to find mates. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
Some small shark species are thought to use their fluorescence to find mates. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
It’s a really interesting area of research, and very trippy to see first-hand. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)
It’s a really interesting area of research, and very trippy to see first-hand. (Photo: Simon Pierce/Caters News)

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