Photoluminescence in the bill of the Atlantic Puffin <i>Fratercula arctica</i>

Dunning, Jamie; Diamond, Antony W.; Christmas, Stephen E.; Cole, Emma-Louise; Holberton, Rebecca L.; Jackson, Hannah J.; Kelly, Kevin G.; Brown, Dean; Rivera, Indira Rojas; Hanley, Daniel

doi:10.1080/00063657.2018.1563771

Cited by 11 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Recent evidence from different bird species, including parrots 30 , owls 13,20 , bustards 12 , and a few seabirds 31,32 suggests that fluorescent colorations may be part of their visual communication toolbox. Galván et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correlates of individual variation in the porphyrin-based fluorescence of red-necked nightjars (Caprimulgus ruficollis)

Camacho

Negro

Redondo

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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Many nocturnal animals, including invertebrates such as scorpions and a variety of vertebrate species, including toadlets, flying squirrels, owls, and nightjars, emit bright fluorescence under ultraviolet light. However, the ecological significance of this unique coloration so attached to nocturnality remains obscure. Here, we used an intensively studied population of migratory red-necked nightjars (Caprimulgus ruficollis) to investigate inter-individual variation in porphyrin-based pink fluorescence according to sex, age, body condition, time of the year, and the extent of white plumage patches known to be involved in sexual communication. Males and females exhibited a similar extent of pink fluorescence on the under-side of the wings in both juvenile and adult birds, but males had larger white patches than females. Body condition predicted the extent of pink fluorescence in juvenile birds, but not in adults. On average, the extent of pink fluorescence in juveniles increased by ca. 20% for every 10-g increase in body mass. For both age classes, there was a slight seasonal increase (1–4% per week) in the amount of fluorescence. Our results suggest that the porphyrin-based coloration of nightjars might signal individual quality, at least in their first potential breeding season, although the ability of these and other nocturnal birds to perceive fluorescence remains to be unequivocally proven.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Correlates of individual variation in the porphyrin-based fluorescence of red-necked nightjars (Caprimulgus ruficollis)

Camacho

Negro

Redondo

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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“…For example, the shells of certain marine turtles [ 9 ] and the beaks of puffins (Fratercula spp.) [ 6 ] are known to fluoresce (green and blue, respectively), however the chemical mechanism causing this is unclear. Identifying potential fluorophores is a first step in understanding whether fluorescence has a function, and what that function may be.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using mass spectrometry to investigate fluorescent compounds in squirrel fur

et al. 2022

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While an array of taxa are capable of producing fluorescent pigments, fluorescence in mammals is a novel and poorly understood phenomenon. A first step towards understanding the potential adaptive functions of fluorescence in mammals is to develop an understanding of fluorescent compounds, or fluorophores, that are present in fluorescent tissue. Here we use Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) of flying squirrel fur known to fluoresce under ultraviolet (UV) light to identify potentially fluorescent compounds in squirrel fur. All of the potentially fluorescent compounds we identified were either present in non-fluorescent fur or were not present in all species of fluorescent flying squirrel. Therefore, we suggest that the compounds responsible for fluorescence in flying squirrels may also be present in non-fluorescent mammal fur. Some currently unexplained factor likely leads to excitation of fluorophores in flying squirrel fur. A recently suggested hypothesis that fluorescence in mammals is widely caused by porphyrins is consistent with our findings.

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“…There is substantial research on the occurrence of fluorescence in plants [2] and invertebrates [3,4]. There is also increasing evidence to suggest that many vertebrates have fluorescent pigments, including birds [5][6][7], amphibians [8], reptiles [9,10], fish [11] and mammals [1,[12][13][14][15]. Several hypotheses aim to explain an ecological role of fluorescence in vertebrates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, the shells of certain marine turtles [9] and the beaks of puffins (Fratercula spp.) [6] are known to fluoresce, however the chemical mechanism causing this is unclear. Identifying potential fluorophores is a first step in understanding whether fluorescence has a function, and what that function may be.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using mass spectrometry to investigate fluorescent compounds in squirrel fur

Hughes

Bowman

Stock

et al. 2021

Preprint

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While an array of taxa are capable of producing fluorescent pigments, fluorescence in mammals is a novel and poorly understood phenomenon. We believe that a first step towards understanding the potential adaptive functions of fluorescence in mammals is to develop an understanding of fluorescent compounds, or fluorophores, that are present in fluorescent tissue. Here we use Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) of flying squirrel fur known to fluoresce under ultraviolet (UV) light to identify potentially fluorescent compounds in squirrel fur. All of the potentially fluorescent compounds we identified were either present in non-fluorescent fur or were not present in all species of fluorescent flying squirrel. Therefore, we consider that the compounds responsible for fluorescence in flying squirrels may also be present in non-fluorescent mammal fur. Some factor currently unexplained likely leads to excitation of fluorophores in flying squirrel fur. A recently suggested hypothesis that fluorescence in mammals is widely caused by porphyrins is consistent with our findings.

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Photoluminescence in the bill of the Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica

Cited by 11 publications

References 7 publications

Correlates of individual variation in the porphyrin-based fluorescence of red-necked nightjars (Caprimulgus ruficollis)

Correlates of individual variation in the porphyrin-based fluorescence of red-necked nightjars (Caprimulgus ruficollis)

Using mass spectrometry to investigate fluorescent compounds in squirrel fur

Using mass spectrometry to investigate fluorescent compounds in squirrel fur

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