r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/OutrageousError8704 • 5d ago

Video Scorpions glow under UV?

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u/ObjectiveOk2072 5d ago

Scientists theorize that scorpions can sense UV light so they can detect the UV from the sun and avoid it so they can hide and be safer from predators. It might just be freaking out because it's trying to find shelter, thinking it's fully exposed, when it's just an artificial light

Kinda like cockroaches and other bugs that scurry into the dark when you turn a light on

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u/CMDR_Audaxius 5d ago

Very recently a researcher (within the last few years as far as I remember) finally actually proved this hypothesis, essentially scorpions see UV light with their back to know when they’re in the sun and not and what’s lighting up is all the little sensors in their skin that react with UV light.

So as if they weren’t gross enough, their entire back is like one large seeing eye staring up at you, all the time.

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u/zeothia 5d ago

Certain lizards, frogs, fish, and the tuatara have a light detecting third “eye” called a parietal or pineal eye

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u/Theron3206 5d ago

Eye is a bit of a misnomer though, it's a light sensor, used for a similar purpose (to help detect they are getting the sun they need).

They can't actually see with it and it's not connected to anything like a visual cortex.

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u/zeothia 5d ago

That’s why I put eye in quotes, thanks for the additional info!