From eerie mushrooms glowing green on fallen logs to microscopic plankton shining near the ocean surface, bioluminescence is found everywhere in nature. Bioluminescence — the production of light by living organisms — seems almost like magic. But it often serves a very practical purpose. Life forms use their shining abilities to attract mates, catch prey, or confuse predators. While relatively rare among creatures on land, up to 90 percent of animals in the deep sea are thought to be bioluminescent, often snaring victims using glowing lures. An upcoming show at The American Museum of Natural History in New York City called Creatures of Light: Nature’s Bioluminescence looks at this wondrous phenomenon. Featuring live organisms as well as scale models explaining the details of bioluminescence, the exhibit will focus on the different ways that nature exploits living light. The show opens March 31 and runs until Jan. 6, 2013. Above: Glowing Shrooms Bitter oyster mushrooms, which grow on trees throughout Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America, glow a faint green at night. Panellus stipticus are typically found on dead logs, though the species can sometimes also infest wounds of living trees. The fruiting bodies have glowing gills and grow in dense overlapping clusters. The light in bioluminescent mushrooms comes from proteins known as luciferases. In some related mushroom species found in the eastern U.S., only the root-like part -- known as mycelia -- glow, creating a faint nighttime forest light known as foxfire. Image: AMNHJ. Sparks

Luminescent Coral Off the coast of Little Cayman Island in the British West Indies is Bloody Bay Wall, a sheer vertical cliff that dives 1,000 feet into the ocean. Clinging to this wall is a rich accumulation of coral-reef marine life. Corals share space with yellow tube sponges, sea fans, tiny shrimp, brittle stars, lobsters, and many other creatures. While some of the coral species are bioluminescent, most are biofluorescent – meaning they glow after first absorbing light. The vivid reds, greens, and oranges appear only when the biofluorescent corals, fishes, and sea anemones are illuminated by specific wavelengths of light. Image: Jim Hellemn

Firefly Forest Among the best-known bioluminescent creatures are fireflies. Found all over the world, these small winged beetles produce a glowing light that is usually green, yellow, or pale-red from their abdomen. The light serves different purposes throughout the firefly’s life cycle. As larvae, the glow warns predators of their bitter or toxic taste. Male adults use the light to find mates during courtship, with many species using particular flashing patterns to identify themselves. This image was made with a long exposure to capture the radiant display in Okayama prefecture, Japan. Image: Tsuneaki Hiramatsu

Ultraviolet Scorpions Because of certain minerals reactive to ultraviolet wavelengths in their exoskeletons, scorpions will glow when under a black light. Other insects as well as many spiders possess this capacity, too. Image: AMNHD. Finnin

Lanternfish Glow Common lanternfish are thought to account for as much as 65 percent of all deep sea fish biomass. Though scientists don’t know all the details, their bioluminescence is thought to play a role in communication, helping coordinate shoaling and courtship behavior. While it might seem hard to hide with glowing lights attached to your body, lanternfish can use their bioluminescence as camouflage. By mimicking ambient light levels coming from above, the fishes seem to vanish when viewed from below. Image: FMNHL. Smith and AMNHJ. Sparks

Flashlight Fish Flashlight fish live in tropical waters all over the world. These fish, of the family Anomalopidae, contain small organs underneath their eyes full of bioluminescent bacteria. The organs are used to communicate, avoid predation, and attract prey. Image: FMNHL. Smith and AMNHJ. Sparks

Black Dragonfish Terrifying black dragonfishes live deep under the ocean, and are covered in small light-producing photophores. Some species will also dangle a small barb in front of their mouths as a lure to prey. They are typically dark, especially around their gut, to prevent the bioluminescent glow of their just-eaten prey from shining through their belly, which could attract larger predators. Image: FMNHL. Smith and AMNHJ. Sparks