A bioluminescent red tide off the coast of La Jolla has been caught on tape by Scripps scientists as dolphins played in the neon surf.
UC San Diego photographer Erik Jepsen took the footage while Scripps diving locker supervisor Rich Walsh drove the boat.
Red tides are typically caused by accumulations of the microscopic dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedra, a phytoplankton that glows blue when agitated by waves, boats – or dolphins.
“We have recently had dinoflagellate blooms up and down the California coast,” said Clarissa Anderson, biological oceanographer at UCSD’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “After looking at data collected off of Scripps Pier, I am seeing plenty of Lingulodinium polyedra and Tripos furca the last few days – both are producers of the bioluminescence light shows we are seeing.”
✨? Check out these dolphins gliding through glowing bioluminescent waves, turning the ocean into their own light show! ? Last night, @UCSanDiego photographer @erikjepsen captured these cool cetaceans amidst the magic off #ScrippsPier. pic.twitter.com/pWOg4eOFg6
— Scripps Institution of Oceanography (@Scripps_Ocean) October 16, 2024
According to UCSD, although the number of the bioluminescent algae is huge, how long the current red tide will last is anybody’s guess. Previous events have lasted anywhere from several days to one week to a month or more.
During the day, the phytoplankton have a reddish-brown color, hence the name red tide. Local species of bioluminescent creatures do not produce toxins like species in the Mediterranean, and there is no public health warning associated with the red tide, although some people may be more sensitive.
