The red, green, blue and yellow sea: Fluorescent lights turn the bottom of the Red Sea into a sponge disco

By ROB WAUGH

Cylinder water lily pictured at a depth of 49 feet - glowing fluorescent yellow under neon light

The depths of the sea are normally a dark, colourless environment - but a new trend in diving has revealed the hidden colours of the unlit depths of the Red Sea, turning sponges and corals into a glowing light show.
'Fluo dives', where divers take near-ultraviolet lights into the depths, show up the hidden colours of the denizens of the deep - with everything from brain corals to algae and bacteria glowing with a natural bioluminescence.
The colourful 'glow' of the creatures is created by ultraviolet light reflecting off pigment cells in their skin. Under normal light, the creatures look far less interesting.

Four sea anemones pictured lit up by the neon lights carried by divers in the Red Sea

Scorpion Fish is seen surrounded by coral and algae during a fluo-dive


Stony coral: Ultraviolet torches were used to see the bio-fluorescent properties of the marine life

The technique has been used to discover new species at dive resorts around the world - and divers at the Red Sea used the lights to capture sponges, scorpion fish and algae in a new, disco-coloured light.
The technique is particularly spectacular at uncovering the 'hidden' colours of coral reefs - turning the bottom of the Red Sea into a riot of colour. A scorpion fish turns orange, a water lily becomes fluorescent green, and stony coral takes on several shades. The images were captured at night, during a fluo-dive. Ultraviolet torches were used to see the bio-fluorescent properties of the marine life . At times the photographer was at depths of 49ft.

Algae and bacteria pictured during a fluo-dive

Stony coral glows a bright greenish-yellow at the bottom of the Red Sea

Iridescent scallops and stony coral glow brightly under the fluorescent lights



source: dailymail