Firefly Squid in Toyama Bay

Firefly squid washed up along a beach on Toyama Bay, Japan, each one tracing blue light across the wet sand. Watasenia scintillans is only about three inches long and spends its days around 650 feet down, but in spring huge shoals rise into the bay at night to spawn. Tiny light organs dot its body to cancel its silhouette against the surface, and three larger ones on the tip of each of two arms flash when it is disturbed. Predawn boat tours from Namerikawa watch the set nets come up glowing between March and May.