Are firefly-like vertebrates biologically plausible?

Fireflies are amazing little insects. They have the ability to produce a pulse of light without the help of a symbiotic relationship with bioluminescent bacteria.

This works via a chemical reaction which involves a light-emitting pigment called luciferin [L] and an enzyme called luciferase

$$\text{luciferin} \ + O_2 \ _\overrightarrow{\text{luciferase}} \ \text{Oxyluciferin} \ + \text{light}.$$

So is it biologically plausible for a vertebrate to have this ability?

Let's say it has a special light organ on its head and uses this ability to communicate to other members of its species (similar to a semaphore) and/or to cause a short term dazzling effect that blinds a predator for a few seconds/minutes.

It would be something like how this guy does it (he's from monster hunter world):

posted over 4 years ago

user3556983‭

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