Facts about Bioluminescent Bay Puerto Rico
- 06
Concentrations of Pyrodinium bahamense in Mosquito Bay can reach hundreds of thousands of organisms per gallon of water, creating an exceptionally dense luminescent display.
- 05
Motorized boats are prohibited in Mosquito Bay to protect the fragile dinoflagellate population responsible for its famous glow.
- 04
Kayaking and swimming are popular ways to experience the bioluminescent bays, as physical movement through the water disturbs the dinoflagellates and intensifies their glow.
- 03
Mosquito Bay on Vieques island holds a Guinness World Record for the brightest bioluminescent bay on Earth.
- 02
Puerto Rico has three bioluminescent bays recognized among the brightest in the world: Mosquito Bay on Vieques, Laguna Grande in Fajardo, and La Parguera in Lajas.
- 01
The glowing effect in Mosquito Bay, one of Puerto Rico's bioluminescent bays, is caused by microscopic dinoflagellates called Pyrodinium bahamense that emit blue-green light when disturbed.