Tired of having to change your burnt-out light bulbs? Solution! Throw away all those pesky lightbulbs and get a firefly squid instead! Like the fireflies you keep in old fruit jars, this bright little creature gives off light. Tiny photophores cover it's body, making it glow. The squid has total control over these photophores; it flashes a special light pattern, like a "mini light show", to communicate with other firefly squids, attract mates, lure prey, and even distract predators. They live deep in the west Pacific.
Every year, these "living light bulbs" migrate to Toyama Bay in Japan to lay and fertilize their eggs, turning the sea a glowing bluish color. It looks like one big light show and attracts thousands of tourists. During that time, many firefly squids are caught. The firefly squid catching season began March 1 and will continue until the end of June. In Japan, they are a very popular delicacy. They are cooked with vegetables, put in sushi, or placed on crackers. After the firefly squids lay all their eggs, they die and wash up on the beach. This is good for birds and any other animals who might want to eat the dead squids.
Some people liked these amazing, glowing creatures so much that they even opened a museum in Namerikawa, the city where the squids migrate and die. It is called the Hotaruika Museum and features various exhibits unlocking the secrets of the firefly squid, including a petting zoo, a gallery with information about firefly squids, a laser light show, and a theatre showing videos about firefly squids, other strange sea creatures, and other squids. Wow; I wouldn't be surprised if they really did use them as light bulbs!
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