Explorers find world’s first neon-glowing sea turtle

Scientists discovered the world’s first neon-glowing sea turtle swimming near the Solomons Islands. The marine reptile is capable of illuminating neon colours, which has been described by researchers like an “alien craft” with neon green and red all over its head and body.

The sea turtle was identified to be a member of the critically endangered hawksbill species. The ability of the hawksbill to exhibit different lights on its body was described as “biofluorescence,” which animals can reflect blue light and re-emit it as a different colour after hitting a surface.

The National Geographic reported the discovery on Monday saying that the hawksbill is the first marine reptile capable of biofluorescence ever recorded. Previous discoveries of biofluorescent animals include corals and several types of fish, sharks, rays, the tiny crustaceans copepods and mantis shrimp.

Scientists say that the most common biofluorescence colours are green, red and orange, but it was far different from bioluminescence. Bioluminescent animals can produce light alone through a series of chemical reactions or host bacteria that provide light.

"I've been [studying turtles] for a long time and I don't think anyone's ever seen this," said Alexander Gaos, director of the Eastern Pacific Hawksbill Initiative, who was not involved in the discovery. He added that the fluorescent hawksbill is an “amazing" discovery.

The biofluorescent sea turtle was discovered by marine biologist David Gruber of City University of New York who was filming biofluorescence in small sharks and coral reefs in the Solomon Islands at the time. Gruber and his team said that they saw the biofluorescent turtle “out of nowhere” during a night dive.

The marine biologist followed the turtle while taking videos, a yellow filter on the camera helped the scientists to see the fluorescent organism. After following the sea turtle, Gruber said that they had to leave the hawksbill alone to avoid harassing the animal.

The scientists then discovered that a community near the site used to keep several captive young hawksbills. The animals were examined for its biofluorescent ability, and Gruber found that all of the hawksbills were glowing red.

However, the scientists have still not determined how the hawksbills have the ability to fluoresce, or if other populations of sea turtles glow as well even dwelling in other areas. But Gruber pointed that algae could have caused the glowing red on the shell of the hawksbill, while the turtle itself may have produced the green colour.

To study the biofluorescent sea turtles is difficult as few of its species are left and are extremely protected, Gruber added. The population of the hawksbill overall across the globe has declined by nearly 90 percent in the recent decades.

But Gruber said there are other options to study the biofluorescent ability of the hawksbill which is through its close relative, the green sea turtles. He added that even the hawksbill sea turtle are considered for conservation, the marine reptile remains as a mystery.

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