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Scientists have found that a number of Australian mammals can glow in the dark when exposed to UV light. Although Australia is known for the numerous species of wildlife that can kill you, it seems there are also some that can glow in the dark.
American researchers first discovered bioluminescence in the Australian platypus, much to their surprise. Scientists were initially researching squirrels, which also responded to UV light, but decided to check out the other specimens on hand that led to the accidental discovery of the platypus.
According to an ABC report, Australian researchers then checked their platypus samples only to find the same thing. When a taxidermized platypus was placed under UV light, its fur emitted a fluorescent green and blue glow.
Goes better. Scientists from the Western Australian Museum then moved on to check other mammal specimens in their archives. They tested a range of animals including moles, wombats, bilbies, armadillos and echidnas. Interestingly, carnivorous marsupials did not glow under UV light.
“It probably makes sense, because if their prey can see UV light, they wouldn’t be able to hide from them,” Kenny Travouillion, curator of Mammalogy at the WA Museum, told ABC.
Dr Travouillon documented his findings on Twitter, posting images of stuffed animals under UV rays. Some mammals, such as bilbies, only had an illuminated ear and tail.
After the platypus showed to glow under the UV light, I couldn’t resist trying the bilbies … their ears and tail shine bright like a diamond! #bilby #uv pic.twitter.com/wL82RDdFYb
– Kenny Travouillon (@TravouillonK) November 3, 2020
Wombats got the cut too, with bright hues in their fur. I would like one as a pet now.
Bright wombats are some of my favorites too! #wombat #uv pic.twitter.com/XdgLqAoorX
– Kenny Travouillon (@TravouillonK) November 5, 2020
So why do they shine?
As to why these animals may have glowing superpowers in the dark, scientists aren’t sure yet. Sarah Munks, a senior researcher at the University of Tasmania’s School of Natural Sciences, is a platypus expert. He told ABC “all the work done on other species suggests that it is an ancient form of camouflage. It could be just one of these ancestral traits, as humans have residual tails.”
Dr Travouillon suspects that “the advantage is probably that they can see their species from a distance and they can get close because they know it is safe to get close to that animal.”
Scientists have noted that only a small mammal sample size has been tested for these signs so far. They are now working to confirm whether this is a species-level phenomenon. Research teams from the United States and Australia have joined forces to see if they can find a reason for this radiant glow.
Maybe it’s a way to signal to people that this animal won’t kill you? Although wombats might try if you try them.
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