Luminous Tasmania: seeing the dark in a different light

A resplendence of poets could not conceive of something so exquisite as the kaleidoscope of nature’s nocturnal glow. For the first time, this paper presents an overview of Tasmania’s luminous phenomena: the Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights; Sea Sparkles, or marine bioluminescence Noctiluca scintillans; Glow-worms Arachnocampa tasmaniensis; Ghost Mushrooms Omphalotus nidiformis and other fungi; fluorescent scorpions Cercophonius squama; fluorescent marsupials (14 species), placental mammals (five species), and monotremes (two species); fluorescent birds (eight species); and Goblin’s Gold Moss Mittenia plumula. For each, I briefly detail their natural history, early Tasmanian history, notes on their occurrence in nature, and other aspects of interest. Many of these phenomena are little known in Tasmania and require further scientific inquiry. All have great tourism and educational potential and most of the living forms are under increasing threat for their survival.