Sep 29, 2015 10:50 AM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

A team of researchers recorded for the first time a biofluorescent reptile, capturing a hawksbill sea turtle on tape glowing green.

According to National Geographic, biofluorescence differs from bioluminescence and involves reflecting light as a different color rather than emitting a light through chemicals. The biofluorescent turtle was observed reflecting blue light and made it appear green, though other possible colors include red and orange.

The hawksbill sea turtle is also critically endangered.

David Gruber, a marine biologist at the City University of New York, told NatGeo he and his team were exploring the Solomon Islands to capture biofluorescent coral and sharks. Then he saw a turtle that looked more like a UFO from a sci-fi film.

"After a few moments [of following it], I let it go because I didn't want to harass it," Gruber said.

The only other marine instances of biofluorescence have been coral, certain fish including sharks and rays, and a small type of crustacean called copepod.

"I've been [studying turtles] for a long time and I don't think anyone's ever seen this," Alexander Gaos, director of the Eastern Pacific Hawksbill Initiative, who was not involved in the find, told NatGeo. "This is really quite amazing.

"[Biofluorescence is] usually used for finding and attracting prey or defense or some kind of communication.

"It'd be fairly difficult to study this turtle because there are so few left and they're so protected."

(Source: NatGeo)

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