Meet the fluorescent tree frogs of South America
Of all the world's amphibians — some 7,600 species — none had been confirmed to exhibit fluorescence, until now.
Scientists in Argentina and Brazil say they've found the first solid evidence of a fluorescent amphibian, courtesy of the South American tree frog.
Their findings, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offer clues into how this tiny tree frog survives in its environment. The study may also spur more research into fluorescence on land, a largely unexplored area within visual ecology.
Fluorescence in the venter (underbelly) of a male tree frog.
Image: taboada et al. (2017) Read more...