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'Absolutely magical': Rare glowing duo of tree frog and parasitic ghost fungus captured in otherworldly photo
An image of a biofluorescent frog perched on a bioluminescent mushroom is the People's Choice winner for the Beaker Street Science Photography Competition 2024.
A stunning image of a luminescent frog perched on a rare, glowing ghost mushroom has won the People's Choice award for the annual Beaker Street Science Photography Competition in Tasmania.
In the photo, a blue light reflects off the eyes and skin of a biofluorescent brown tree frog (Litoria ewingii) as it sits on a funnel-shaped ghost fungus (Omphalotus nidiformis), named after its eerie bioluminescent glow during the night.
Photographer Toby Schrapel captured the scene at a pine plantation in Tasmania after weeks of searching for the rare mushroom species. "When I first saw them together I thought to myself this is my chance to get something absolutely magical," Schrapel told Live Science in an email.
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The ghost fungus is a rare gilled mushroom native to Australia and Tasmania. They have thin structures called gills on the underside of the mushroom cap that are responsible for spore dispersal.
During the day, its trumpet-shaped body is white or pale brown, but at night, the mushroom's gills glow green thanks to a process called bioluminescence — a chemical reaction between enzymes and oxygen that produces light, in the same way fireflies' abdomens glow.
After weeks of searching for the elusive ghost mushroom, Schrapel received a tip from a friend about a pine plantation at the Seven Mile Beach Coastal Reserve. "We were searching, searching and finally came across a little frog on a tree, so I stopped for a look and a quick shot, then I heard, 'Toby here's one on a mushroom,'" Schrapel recalled.
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When Night Unfurls its Splendour
Most of you will already know that this is a bioluminescent mushroom, but did you know that the blue glow in the little frog's eyes and on his body is another type of glow called biofluorescence?
This occurs when a living organism has a chemical surface that absorbs light at one wave length and re-emits it at another.
There are many things that can fluoresce, including us. A 365 nm torch is your key to entering this magical new world full of wonderful new discoveries, all from asking just one question. "I wonder if it will glow?"
In this unexpected moment, Schrapel realized that exposing the amphibian's skin to ultraviolet (UV) light would reveal a brilliant blue glow, offering a rare chance to capture bioluminescence from the mushroom and biofluorescence from the frog in a single frame.
Biofluorescence "occurs when a living organism has a chemical surface that absorbs light at one wavelength and re-emits it at another," Schrapel explained.
Biofluorescence and bioluminescence occur throughout the animal kingdom, and in this case, tree frogs may use it as a form of communication. Bioluminescence in fungi is less understood, but one theory suggests that the soft glow attracts spore-dispersing insects.
The photograph was announced as the People's Choice winner at the Beaker Street's annual Science Photography Prize on Sept. 8. Other finalists included a group of endangered red handfish (Thymichthys politus) embryos born in captivity, the plated armor of a microscopic algae and a bright red mite with spindly legs.
Glimpse into the endangered red handfish's unique beginnings.
The successful development of Red Handfish (Thymichthys politus) embryos in captivity signifies a significant milestone in conservation efforts led by the Red Handfish Conservation Team at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. It demonstrates the dedication and expertise of the conservation team and offers hope for the future of this elusive species. Given the precarious situation of the Red Handfish population, with fewer than 100 adults remaining in just two small reef patches in southeastern Tasmania, efforts to preserve them in captivity are vital for their long-term survival.
Photographer Andrea Williamson shot this image at the University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), which has successfully bred the endangered red handfish in captivity. This photograph was announced as the Judges Choice winner.
Ocean warriors
Calcidiscus leptoporus — a coccolithophore found drifting in the Southern Ocean. Coccolithophores are single celled organisms which perform photosynthesis for the creation of energy, which in turn produces the oxygen that we breathe. They construct many intricate plates of armour — made of calcium carbonate — which they cover themselves with to protect their delicate internal cell from predation. Through their use of photosynthesis, and the production of these shell plates, they have become an exceptionally important warrior in the fight against climate change, contributing to the biological carbon pump, drawing down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to be recycled or stored in the ocean depths. This image was taken using a Scanning Electron Microscope, from a sample collected by the Southern Ocean Continuous Plankton Recorder program (SO-CPR).
Photographer Luke Brokensha captured this image of a microscopic algae from a water sample taken from the Southern Ocean. This is a type of coccolithophore — a single-celled organism that produces oxygen through photosynthesis.
Mite on bracken
Mites come in a dazzling variety of forms. However few macro enthusiasts take the time to photograph them – likely because many species are both incredibly fast and tiny. I was lucky enough to capture this mite (subfamily Callidosomatinae) climbing in the dry undergrowth of Hawley Nature Reserve in northern Tasmania.
Photographer Ben Travaglini captured this image of a tiny mite in the subfamily Callidosomatinae climbing in the dry undergrowth of Hawley Nature Reserve in northern Tasmania.
Elise studied marine biology at the University of Portsmouth in the U.K. She has worked as a freelance journalist focusing on the aquatic realm.