Erythrism
Encyclopedia
Erythrism or erythrochroism refers to an unusual reddish pigmentation of an animal's fur, hair
, skin
, feather
s, or eggshell
s.
Causes of erythrism include
Erythrism in katydids has been occasionally observed. The coloring might be a camouflage that helps some members of the species survive on red plants.
Hair
Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class....
, skin
Skin
-Dermis:The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. It also harbors many Mechanoreceptors that provide the sense of touch and heat...
, feather
Feather
Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They...
s, or eggshell
Eggshell
An eggshell is the outer covering of a hard-shelled egg and of some forms of eggs with soft outer coats.- Insect eggs :Insects and other arthropods lay a variety of styles and shapes of eggs. Some have gelatinous or skin-like coverings, others have hard eggshells. Softer shells are mostly protein....
s.
Causes of erythrism include
- genetic mutations which cause an absence of a normal pigment and/or excessive production of others
- diet, as in bees feeding on maraschino juice
Erythrism in katydids has been occasionally observed. The coloring might be a camouflage that helps some members of the species survive on red plants.
External links
- The Mystery of the Red Bees of Red Hook, New York Times, November 30, 2010
- Rare Pink Katydid Discovered in Northern Illinois, Chicago Tribune Local, August 10, 2011
- Another Nice Example of Erythrism: Grasshopper, August 28, 2009
- Erythrism: Grasshopper in New Zealand, Rod Morris, 2010
- Pink Animal Amazingness, Paula Kashtan, lemondrop.com, December 18, 2008