The Department of Astonishing Amphibians is thrilled to share…

The Department of Astonishing Amphibians is thrilled to share the news of the discovery of a fluorescent tree frog in Argentina. This radiant little creature is the polka-dot tree frog. The species itself was already known, and considered impressively cute, but it was only recently that scientists discovered that the frogs glow bright green under UV light. This fluorescent frog is particularly awesome because it glows as a result of a previously unknown compound.

“It turned out that the frog’s skin has a fluorescent compound not found in other fluorescent vertebrates (which include, besides parrots, marine turtles). This discovery opens up the possibility that there are many more fluorescent land animals, and one of the study co-authors, Julián Faivovich, told Nature that he now intends to examine 250 tree frogs to see if they also have a secret glow.”

Less talk, more glowing animals!

Images via TABODA ET AI/PNAS

[via Atlas Obscura]