Researchers at the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology (SNSB-ZSM), the LMU and Hochschule München have discovered that the web-footed gecko Pachydactylus rangei from Namibia fluoresces neon-green under UV light in a stripe along its flank and around its eye. These markings, best visible from the perspective of a gecko, presumably serve as a means to recognise geckos in the Namib desert. In their study, the researchers showed that this fluorescence is produced by iridophores (special pigment cells). The mechanism, as well as the brightness of the fluorescence, are unique and unprecedented among terrestrial vertebrates. The study was published today in the journal Scientific Reports.