Glowing bats may sound like Halloween decor, but researchers in Georgia have discovered certain species of North American bats that are capable of the unusual trick.
When placed under ultraviolet lighting, six species of the critters were found to emit a green luminescence. It is the first record of the phenomenon in bats native to that part of the world, according to an October 20 news release from the University of Georgia.
The discovery adds to the growing list of mammals that share the trait. But scientists still don’t know why some furry animals glow while others do not. The findings were published in July in the journal Ecology and Evolution.
“What was already really established before this project, was that a lot of mammals glow under UV light. So, then the question was: Why do they glow?” said study coauthor Steven Castleberry, a professor in wildlife ecology and management at the University of Georgia. “We’re trying to learn more about bats and how they function in their environments and how they contribute to the ecosystem. … If we can figure out the function, if there is a function, it can help us to better conserve and manage these species.”
The lead author, Briana Roberson, an undergraduate at the University of Georgia when the study was conducted, was inspired by literature that had detailed mammals exhibiting the glowing function. One of the first reports of this feature was a 2019 paper, which found that flying squirrels fluoresce under UV light.
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