2018 First-Class Forever Stamp,Bioluminescent Life: Comb Jelly

US #5266
2018 Comb Jelly – Bioluminescent Life

• Pictures a bioluminescent deep sea comb jelly
• 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 deep sea comb jelly 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:  Found in the middle depths of oceans around the world, the comb jelly puts on two types of light shows – one through light reflections and one through bioluminescence.

Measuring just about two inches tall, the bioluminescent comb jelly can be found all around the world, but is most prominent near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.  Comb jellies are the largest known animals that use cilia for movement.  When they swim in areas where there is light, the light reflects off their eight rows of tiny cilia, creating a stunning rainbow of colors.  Though, this rainbow effect is not the same as bioluminescence.

The comb jelly has proteins in some of its tissues that produce a chemical reaction to certain stimuli, including touch.  When activated, these tissues will flash bright blue or green.  Comb jellies often exhibit their bioluminescence to attract food, scare away predators, or to attract even larger creatures to eat their attackers.

In recent years, scientists discovered that comb jellies have 10 different photoproteins that allow them to produce longer or brighter bioluminescent light displays.  They believe further study of these proteins might help shed light on the evolution of vision and help us to better understand eye diseases.