Published in The American Midland Naturalist, this is the very first time biofluorescence has been documented in pocket gophers. J.T. Pynne, a current Ph.D. graduate of the UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and lead author of the study, said he was influenced to shine a light on the possibility a few years earlier, after reading comparable research studies recording the phenomenon in flying squirrels and opossums.
” A lot of people, myself included, were curious about other animals,” said Pynne, now a personal lands wildlife biologist with the Georgia Wildlife Federation. So, he relied on Warnells collection of animal specimens.
” We evaluated it on the flying squirrels we had, and sure enough, it worked. So, I said, Well, what else do we have?” During his time at Warnell, Pynne focused his research on pocket gophers, which are short-tempered and reside in underground tunnels. So, he turned his UV flashlight toward those he had on hand. “And it ended up, pocket gophers, flying opossums and squirrels were the only animal specimens that fluoresced. And Im believing, of course my odd little animals do this.”
At the time, identifying organisms that shone purple, orange, or pink under a black light was a bit of a thing in specific clinical circles. Biofluorescence has also been recorded in birds, spiders, scorpions, and salamanders, amongst other organisms, stated Warnell professor Steven Castleberry.
A pocket gopher lit up with UV light. Credit: UGA
A UV light is needed for human beings to see biofluorescence.
” Just in the past few years, theres been this uptick of people shining UV light on mammals to see if they radiance. Now individuals have begun to ask, why do they fluoresce?” added Castleberry. Whether the fluorescence is a defense mechanism, an interaction approach, camouflage or merely a characteristic from earlier ages is anybodys guess at this point. “Theres some speculation and hypotheses, however nobody really understands the truth.”
Pynne also documented biofluorescence in pocket gophers in the wild, which release a more extreme orange-pink radiance. He also tested specimens of other pocket gopher types archived at the Georgia Museum of Natural History, all of which discharged biofluorescence.
While the reason for pocket gophers and other animals capability to glow under ultraviolet light is still up for dispute, Pynne said it can act as a special introduction to the animals world. With UV flashlights readily available, many anyone can highlight a foraging opossum in their yard, for instance, or view how different pests light up in the evening.
” We have known for a very long time that arthropods fluoresced. Any time I catch a spider or a scorpion or a millipede and I have my black light, theyre intense blue,” said Pynne, who keeps an ultraviolet flashlight in his knapsack whenever hes exploring brand-new places. “Its most likely more of a cool mentor thing than anything.”
Although pocket gophers, with their long, curved teeth and penchant for burrowing, would rather be left alone, thank you very much.
Referral: “Ultraviolet Biofluorescence in Pocket Gophers” by J. T. Pynne, Steven B. Castleberry, L. Mike Conner, Colleen W. Piper, Elizabeth I. Parsons, Robert A. Gitzen, Sarah I. Duncan, James D. Austin and Robert A. McCleery, 19 July 2021, The American Midland Naturalist.DOI: 10.1674/ 0003-0031-186.1.150.
A pocket gopher emerging from burrow.
Researcher finds that the underground species has a secret glow.
You can discover a lot about animals by simply enjoying them. However some tricks can just be revealed in the dark … with an ultraviolet flashlight.
This happens to be the case for pocket gophers, little rodents that live underground in sandy soil. A brand-new paper by University of Georgia researchers discovered that these tough, singular, round-cheeked animals have a special skill thats only exposed under ultraviolet light: They are biofluorescent, emitting a colored glow when lit up with UV light.
During his time at Warnell, Pynne focused his research on pocket gophers, which are short-tempered and live in underground tunnels. “And it turned out, pocket gophers, flying opossums and squirrels were the only animal specimens that fluoresced. At the time, recognizing organisms that glowed purple, orange, or pink under a black light was a bit of a thing in specific scientific circles.” Just in the previous couple of years, theres been this uptick of individuals shining UV light on mammals to see if they glow. Any time I capture a scorpion or a spider or a millipede and I have my black light, theyre brilliant blue,” said Pynne, who keeps an ultraviolet flashlight in his knapsack whenever hes checking out brand-new locations.