It may be tiny, but the Antarctic krill plays an absolutely massive role in the planet’s ecosystem. Just 6 centimetres in length and weighing no more than 2 grams, the vital little crustacean lights up the third coin in the Luminous Marine Life series.
The Antarctic krill is so important because it is one of the most abundant animal species on Earth and forms the nutritional basis of many other marine animals in Antarctica, including whales, fish, seals, penguins and other seabirds. If the Antarctic krill is doing well, other species are doing well, too. Krill themselves feed mainly on diatoms and other plant plankton that they collect on thin bristles on their front legs. In spring, their favourite food consists of microalgae that grow on the underside of drift ice.
Antarctic krill emit light through bioluminescent organs located in different parts of the body, including the eyestalk and hips. The organs have a concave reflector and a lens that guides the light, which is so highly developed it can be compared to that of a torch.
