The world's first naturally fluorescent frog was discovered recently in Argentina, almost by chance, according to a member of the team of researchers.

Scientists from Argentina and Brazil at the Bernardino Rivadaiva Natural Sciences Museum made the discovery while studying the metabolic origin of pigments in a South American tree-frog species.

The frog's translucent skin of muted yellowish-brown with red dots on normal light turns celestial green under ultraviolet light.

One of the researchers, Carlos Taboada, said the discover is "the first scientific record of a fluorescent frog.”

“We were very excited,” said another researcher Julian Faivovich. “It was quite disconcerting.”

Faivovich added the discovery “radically modifies what is known about fluorescence in terrestrial environments, allowing the discovery of new fluorescent compounds that may have scientific or technological applications.”

It also “generates new questions about visual communication in amphibians,” he said.

The team confirmed the frog species's bioluminescence by studying some 200 more examples and the fluorescent properties were detected in all of the specimens.

Maria Lagorio, an independent researcher and expert in fluorescence, said that the phenomenon is common in aquatic species and seen in some insects, “but has never been scientifically reported in amphibians.”