Hi.
Hopefully someone will know the answer to this as my wife and I have been searching exhaustively to not find any definitive answers...

We were at a friends place on the East side of South Ambergris last night. Off their pier, in the water, are these fish (or something) that sparkle very similar to a firefly or lightning bug. When we stomped on the pier, it would seem the creatures (for lack of a better term) reacted to the vibrations and thousands sparkled very brightly all around... A truly beautiful sight and when searching for explanations, the closest we could find were, "phosphorus fish that use light to keep the school together". Any ideas or knowledge out there that will help us determine what it was we we were seeing? Thanks in advance!!

I think they are a kind of jellyfish?
Years ago going home in the night at a certain time of year the wake of the boat looked like a giant stream of sparks--like a wheely car at the drag strip(for lack of a better comparison). It was eerie. The sea can be a cosmic surreal spooky place in the night.

I am no expert, (maybe Elbert can help)...However on several night dives I have had the opportunity to photograph what the dive master referred to as blood-worms....Very dim until we stirred them up with some diver made current....

I've seen them close up by our dock. They are definately somekind of small worm that glow purplish/bluish.

I quit smoking that stuff in the 60's

Ambergris caye has lots of bioluminescent jellyfish and hydroids.
I know exactly what your talking about. Some nights its quite a show. They dont seem to harm me. When I'm in the water with them and waving my arms around in them leaves a twinkel trail.
Night diving or night snorkeling in them is a trip.(now thats a 60's word!)

Well without knowing exactly what these are, consensus here as well as with discussions on the street concludes they are a type of worm. Thanks to all for the input!

If I happen to get any feedback from the marine biology folks, I'll be sure to post the results... Cheers!