An Animal That Can Disappear By Removing Its Shadow

How can I make my shadow disappear? By shining light on it. But what about at night when there is just enough light to silhouette my body? Well… to be silhouetted you must have a small amount of light shining behind your body. Your silhouette will disappear if you produce that exact level and quality of light on the shadow side of your body. Producing that light will also take away any shadow.

This is the science God used to camouflage the little 2 inch Hawaiian Bobtail Squid. This predator lives in the shallow coastal waters of Hawaii. As it moves through the water at night hunting prey it casts no shadow and cannot be silhouetted against the moon or starlit sky.

But this Squid cannot produce any light, so how can it make its shadow and silhouette go away? It is born with a special organ in the underside of its body, which was made to house a specific light producing bacteria. It only allows that one type of bacteria to live in its “rooms”. Once the bacteria enter this organ they are fed, cared for, and reproduce causing a glow beneath the Squid. The cells of this organ are photosensitive, which means the squid knows how much light the bacteria are emiting. Surrounding this organ are “reflectins”, unique proteins that change and direct the intensity of the light. It also has a transparent lens, a shutter mechanism to decrease or increase light, and a filter to change the color of the emitted light.

But... these Squid don't hatch with the bacteria already in the special light organ. How do they get inside the Squid and then inside the organ? Well... when the squid hatches the organ has ciliated “arms,” and pores just the right size to allow the entrance of the bacteria which are swept into the pores by the “arms.” After enough bacteria enter the organ the arms disappear and the pores close. The squid's system is able to tell the difference between this specific bacteria, vibrio fisheri, and the millions of other bacteria floating in the water around the hatchling.

The Squid senses the detail in the light above its body, and reproduces that same light below its body. This removes its shadow and silhouette! Another complex system confounding the notion of chance development by atheistic evolution. There is a Creator and He is amazing!

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. Job 12:7-8