"Nocticula sp is a type of phytoplankton that turns this color based on what it eats (which is primarily other types of phytoplankton including diatoms and dinoflagellates)," she told Chron.

The two most prominent types of plankton in the ocean are zooplankton, which are tiny animal organisms, and phytoplankton, which are plantlike. (Other forms of plankton include bacterial and fungal.

Phytoplankton, tiny plant-like organisms in the ocean, are incredibly important for life on Earth. They're a major food source for many sea creatures and produce almost half the oxygen we breathe.