Through much research scientists have discovered that platypuses are biofluorescent. Biofluorescence is when something absorbs light waves and re-emits them at a different wavelength. Some animals that are biofluorescent include opossums, rabbits, muskrats, flying squirrels and platypuses. In the case of platypus fur, it takes in UV light with short wavelengths and emits it as visible light. Researchers speculate that platypuses are biofluorescent to help with navigation, mate assessment, camouflage, and predator avoidance. Some predators that platypuses face have UV detection and it is a good possibility that because platypuses reemit the UV light at a different wavelength it makes them less visible to UV sensitive predators. Researchers concluded that both male and female platypuses glow green and blue under the UV light.
