Erythrism

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An erythristic Welsh polecat

Erythrism or erythrochroism refers to an unusual reddish pigmentation of an animal's hair, skin, feathers, or eggshells.[1]

Causes of erythrism include:

  • Genetic mutations which cause an absence of a normal pigment and/or excessive production of others[2]
  • Diet, as in bees feeding on "bright red (colored) corn syrup" used in maraschino cherry manufacturing[3]

Erythrism in katydids has been occasionally observed. The coloring might be a camouflage that helps some members of the species survive on red plants.[4] There is also consensus that the erythristic mutation is actually a dominant trait among katydid species, albeit a disadvantageous one, due to the overwhelmingly green coloration of most foliage. Hence, most pink or otherwise vividly colored katydids do not survive to adulthood, and this observation explains their rarity.[5] Erythrism in leopards is rare, but one study[6] reported that two of 28 camera trapped leopards in a nature reserve in South Africa were erythristic, and the authors found records of five other 'strawberry' leopards from the region.[7]

Gallery[]

  • Erythrism in katydids
  • Pink katydid Ontario.jpg
  • Pink-orange katydid, Florida.jpg
  • Pink katydid New York.jpg
  • Pink Grasshopper with Erythrism found in Kelleys Island, Ohio.jpg

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Dariusz Bukaciński and Monika Bukacińska (1997), "Production of Erythristic Eggs by the Black-Headed Gull in Poland", Wilson Bull., Wilson Ornithological Society, 109 (1): 177–182, JSTOR 4163790
  2. ^ Helen Hays and Kenneth C. Parkes (1993), "Erythristic Eggs in the Common Tern", J. Field Ornithol., Association of Field Ornithologists, 64 (3): 341–345, JSTOR 4513830
  3. ^ Sarah Schmidt, Helping Brooklyn's Red Stingers Get Off The Juice, onearth.org, December 1, 2010
  4. ^ Gary Noel Ross (1 June 2003), "Pretty in pink", Natural History
  5. ^ Stone, Daniel (March 2013). Easier Being Green. National Geographic. p. 19.
  6. ^ Pirie, Tara J.; Thomas, Rebecca L.; Fellowes, Mark D. E. (2016-05-20). "Erythristic leopards Panthera pardus in South Africa". Bothalia. 46 (1): 5. doi:10.4102/abc.v46i1.2034. ISSN 2311-9284.
  7. ^ "Ultra-rare 'strawberry' leopards discovered in South Africa (PHOTOS) | Conservation | Earth Touch News". Earth Touch News Network. Retrieved 2020-02-29.

External links[]

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