Glow-in-the-dark turtle discovered
A glow-in-the-dark sea turtle has been discovered in the Pacific ocean. Marine scientists were diving near the Solomon Islands when they shone a special light at a hawksbill turtle and saw that it glowed in the dark. The marine scientists also discovered people living nearby who kept several captive young hawksbills. When the scientists shone their special light, these turtles all glowed red.
The Solomon Islands are near Australia.
Scientists think that the hawksbill turtle is the first reptile known to have biofluorescence. This allows creatures to absorb some colours of light and glow.
Recent research has found other animals glow too. But researchers never expected to find it in a marine reptile. (See pictures of other animals that glow.)
The scientists think it's too early to say for sure why these hawksbill sea turtles are able to glow, or whether turtles in other places do as well. The scientists think it could be a kind of camouflage for the sea turtle. The hawksbill's shell is very good at hiding the animal in a rocky reef habitat during the day.
The scientists think it's too early to say for sure why these hawksbill sea turtles are able to glow, or whether turtles in other places do as well. The scientists think it could be a kind of camouflage for the sea turtle. The hawksbill's shell is very good at hiding the animal in a rocky reef habitat during the day.
As well as being used for camouflage, biofluorescence in other animals can be used for:
- communicating, or
- finding and attracting prey.
A hawksbill turtle not glowing
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/30894235