Zachary Rodriguez is the scientist who discovered that the Prasinohaema lizards of New Guinea have what as he describes lime green blood. usually this color blood signifies that the izard has a toxic substance called biliverdin. In humans a dosage of biliverdin over 50 macromolecules per liter results in jaundice. At first thought, researchers assumed that the green blood was a defense mechanism for when the predator took its first bite it assumed the blood was toxic, however this is not the case. There is no exact answer at the moment but it ideas such as the biliverdin reducing the susceptibility to malaria or to cell damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, or even adding some extra camouflage for life in trees, have been tossed around.
It is truly crazy the way the world and its creatures work. One of the best parts about science is finding and discovering new and exciting creatures. This green blooded lizard won't just be in the next marvel film but definitely new bio text books to come!
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/these-lizards-bleed-green?tgt=nr
If a scientists looks hard enough, he will never know what he will find. It's always exciting to hear of an interesting trait is discovered in an animal that one would not expect.
ReplyDeleteCould there be other colors and toxicites of blood in animals?
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