Ok, I lied. There’s nothing “teenage” or “ninja” about this turtle. But “mutant” certainly applies, if you consider all animals that glow green and red to be mutants.
Last July, a group of scientists led by David Gruber, a marine biologist for National Geographic, were studying bioluminescence in small sharks and coral reefs when they stumbled upon the first biofluorescent turtle yet discovered. The turtle in question, a hawksbill sea turtle, was described by Gruber as an “alien spaceship” as it swam by, emitting red and green light from its shell. This is an especially exciting discovery, as biofluorescence has never been observed in reptiles before.
Fluorescence is the phenomenon by which light is absorbed from an external energy source and re-emitted in a different colour (not to be confused with bioluminescence, which is when an animal generates light by itself). Biofluorescence has garnered quite a bit of attention recently, as the phenomenon can provide some insight into the inner workings of cells.
Scientists have already proposed several hypotheses as to why the turtles have evolved their biofluorescent ability. Perhaps it’s a method for the turtles to attract prey, or to communicate with other turtles. These tactics are quite effective for sea creatures, since the ocean absorbs most light that is not blue, thus making most things appear blue, and so the red and green light emitted by the turtle stands out. More likely, it could be a method of camouflage for the turtles, who typically live in habitats populated by other biofluorescent animals.
Unfortunately for any biologists who want to study these creatures, the hawksbill sea turtle may not be around for much longer. Hawksbills are on the critically endangered species list, threatened mostly by the planet’s changing climate. According to Gruber, “there’s a sense of urgency to protect and understand these species while they are still here”.
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