Glowing in the dark requires extraordinary abilities, much like in science fiction movies. However, scientists recently revealed the existence of lizards with this characteristic in various locations across the Arabian Peninsula, including the deserts of Al-Ula province in northwestern Saudi Arabia. This phenomenon was "accidentally" discovered during research and fieldwork missions, according to Dr. Bernat Buril from the Natural Science Museum in Barcelona, in an interview with CNN Arabic. Dr. Salvador Caranza from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-UPF) led these studies in locations including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman.
Buril explained, "Over the span of a year, we conducted surveys in desert areas and happened to find this fascinating phenomenon, in which certain species of desert geckos exhibit strong glowing when exposed to ultraviolet light."
**A Special Case**
In the images shared by Buril, most of which were captured in the sands of Al-Ula province, the unique glow of the lizard scales is evident. Buril noted that Al-Ula province, like many other desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, is characterized by a diversity of reptiles, housing numerous types of lizards and snakes. When asked if other reptiles also glow like these lizards, Buril confirmed that this is a "very special case," adding that this "remarkable discovery" is the second reported case regarding this glow.
He explained, "Only one species of gecko with this specific skin glow has been found, and interestingly it also lives in deserts. This species is called Pachydactylus rangei, and it inhabits the sand dunes of the Namib Desert in Africa." Researchers also noted that the species living in sand dunes exhibits "much greater" levels of glow compared to those in desert areas with a higher density of trees and rocks. Researchers believe that this type of glow may be more beneficial for reptiles living in sandy deserts.
Buril elaborated, "We believe they can use this (glowing property) to detect other reptiles of the same type in the vast, barren regions formed by sand dune deserts," adding that these nocturnal lizards have much better vision compared to humans.
**The Underlying Reason for the Glow**
While researchers do not know the exact mechanism behind the glow of these lizards, they believe it is linked to modified pigments in their skin called "iridophores." These pigments react to ultraviolet rays, emitting a bright green glow that can be seen in the images.
