US #5273
2018 Sea Pen – Bioluminescent Life
- Pictures a bioluminescent sea pen
- One of 10 stamps showcasing the wonders of bioluminescence in nature
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Bioluminescent Life
Value: 50¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: February 22, 2018
First Day Ci... more
US #5273
2018 Sea Pen – Bioluminescent Life
- Pictures a bioluminescent sea pen
- One of 10 stamps showcasing the wonders of bioluminescence in nature
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Bioluminescent Life
Value: 50¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: February 22, 2018
First Day City: Fort Pierce, Florida
Quantity Issued: 40,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor tagged paper, block tag
Other: These stamps are highly reflective with a rainbow holographic-style effect
Why the stamp was issued: To celebrate different organisms capable of generating their own light (bioluminescent).
About the stamp design: Pictures an existing photograph of a bioluminescent sea pen taken by Dr. Edith Widder.
Rainbow reflectivity: According to the USPS, these stamps were “produced using a proprietary rainbow holograph material that is highly reflective in white light. The stamps were produced using special techniques to enhance the reflective qualities of the material while maintaining the depth of color and detail of the individual images. The rainbow pattern imparts a sense of movement and light to the stamp pane.”
About the Bioluminescent Life set: Includes 10 designs picturing existing photographs of bioluminescent organisms taken by Dr. Edith Widder, Taylor F. Lockwood, Gail Shumway, and Steve Haddock. The creatures pictured are: deep ocean octopus, midwater jellyfish, deep sea comb jelly, mushroom, firefly, bamboo coral, marine worm, crown jellyfish, a different marine worm, and a sea pen.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at Sunrise Theater in Fort Pierce, Florida, not far from the Ocean Research and Conservation Association headquarters (ORCA). The organization’s CEO and Senior Scientist, Dr. Edith Widder, provided photographs for seven of the stamps images and was also in attendance at the First Day of Issue Ceremony.
History the stamp represents: All over the globe, feathery sea pens can be found anchored into the ocean floor. In some instances, a startled sea pen will light up the darkness to ward off a predator.
A type of colonial soft coral, sea pens get their name from some species’ long, spindly polyps that resemble antique quill pens. However, of the 450 described species (about 200 of which are recognized), few have this appearance. Other types of sea pens look more like clubs or fluffy wires. Sea pens root themselves into the ground and catch plankton in their polyps, allowing the current to bring their food to them. If necessary, they can uproot themselves and move to another spot.
If sea pens are threatened, they can shoot water out of their bodies to retreat into their stalks. Or, if they are one of the 20 bioluminescent species, they have another option. When another creature touches them, they emit a bright green or greenish-blue light from their stalk, with a blue light at the tip. Some have also been found to emit a pale lilac light, which is rare. This lighting effect is likely used to ward off predators or attract the attention of larger creatures to eat their attackers.
Sea pens can produce a brighter light when touched by a predator and weaker light when touched by a non-predator, possibly so they don’t attract a larger creature if they know they are not in danger.
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