A frog in Trinidad glows in the dark - reptilenesia

Polka-dot treefrog (Boana punctata) as seen under flashlight (left) and under UV light (right), Trinidad. Photos by Renoir Auguste (left) and Rainer Deo (right).

The polka-dot treefrog aka Boana punctata

In nature, when one thinks of animals that glow in the dark, perhaps fire flies (that are actually beetles) comes to mind first, or perhaps marine-minded people imagine those bizarre creatures in the depths of the ocean. Yet, not many people would start to think of frogs glowing in the dark, and it just so turns out, there are frogs that do it, and one such species can be found in Trinidad.

The polka-dot treefrog (Boana punctata) is perhaps one of the most colourful frogs on Trinidad. This widespread Neotropical frog gets its common name from the red dots on the back of individuals. A few years ago, researchers in Colombia, where the species also occurs, happen to shine a UV light in the forest at night, presumably looking for other wildlife. To their surprise, one animal they saw glowing under the light spectrum was a polka-dot tree frog. It appears this feature is not restricted to individuals in Colombia, as we have seen it as well in Trinidad.

Scientists currently do not know what is the purpose of this irridescent glow, which can also be seen in scorpions. Presumably, it perhaps plays a role in visual communication among conspecifics (individuals of the same species). It is something that is noteworthy of investigating further. Who knows what other animals we might find glowing in the dark in our tropical forests, and what it may mean for all biodiversity.

To learn more about this amazing frog that glows in the dark in Trinidad, get your copy of the field guide to the amphibians and reptiles of Trinidad and Tobago.