These incredible rodents change color under UV light

[Mike Wehner]

• Biofluorescence is a property that allows some animals to glow under UV light, but rarely is it seen in mammals.
• New research reveals that springhares, which are tiny rodents that are native to Africa, also possess this strange ability, and scientists want to know why.
• Their glowing fur is possible thanks to a compound present in their hair fibers, though the possible advantages of this remain unclear.

One of the more peculiar and rarest traits in the animal kingdom is the ability to glow in the dark. Some animals, including deep-sea fish and fireflies, are able to produce light in the visible spectrum. This is called bioluminescence, and it's quite rare, but there's another type of luminescence that some animals possess which we can't see with our naked eyes. It's called biofluorescence, and it's the ability of an animal to glow under specific light conditions, like UV light.

Again, some fish are known to have this ability, as well as certain reptiles and even birds. A very select few mammals also have this trait, and researchers just discovered a new one. Springhares, which are rodents that resemble tiny kangaroos in their locomotion and stance, light up light a Christmas tree when hit with UV light, and scientists still aren't sure why.

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These incredible rodents change color under UV light originally appeared on BGR.com on Fri, 19 Feb 2021 at 22:09:51 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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