Scientists discovered poisonous frogs with glowing bones through the skin

Deep in the Atlantic Ocean, the Brazilian region is home to the strange, bright and glowing little frogs.

This is the first known case in an amphibian species with "special" luminescence right on their skin.

"The origin of fluorescence lies in the subcutaneous bone of the head and back, visible through a particularly thin layer of skin , " the researchers explained.

Images of exotic frogs in Brazil.

These frogs are called pumpkin frogs (Brachycephalus ephippium) the size of nails (12 to 20mm).

This species was previously known to "make noise" when looking for heterosexual friends, but when researchers found that frogs really could not hear their mating calls because they had no ear bones. In between, the team thought of other potential mechanisms that explain how pumpkin toads find their mates.

" Strange luminescent characteristics are visible to the human eye under UV lamps . In nature, if they are visible to other animals, they can be used as specific communication signals or to reinforce their colors, warning potential predators of their toxicity , " said researcher Sandra Goutte, from New York Abu Dhabi University.

However, more research is needed on the behavior of these frogs and their predators to determine the true function of this unique luminescence.

Usually the bones do not glow through the skin, which makes pumpkin frogs very interesting. Fluorescence seems to be visible because the toad skin of the toads is not only super thin but also lacks the pigment cells that normally block any light from coming from inside.

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