Animal coloration research: why it matters

Caro, Timothy; Stoddard, Mary Caswell; Stuart‐Fox, Devi

doi:10.1098/rstb.2016.0333

Cited by 37 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 81 publications

(102 reference statements)

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“…Müller (Bates, ; Wallace, ; Müller, ; Poulton, ; Caro, ). The field of animal colouration has also inspired a wealth of ideas in applied sciences (Caro, Stoddard & Stuart‐Fox, ), including the investigation of biomimetic camouflage by the naturalist and artist Abbott H. Thayer (Thayer & Thayer, ). Therefore, understanding the proximate and ultimate causes of colouration in animals is of great importance (Cuthill et al, ; Endler & Mappes, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ommochromes in invertebrates: biochemistry and cell biology

2018

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Ommochromes are widely occurring coloured molecules of invertebrates, arising from tryptophan catabolism through the so-called Tryptophan → Ommochrome pathway. They are mainly known to mediate compound eye vision, as well as reversible and irreversible colour patterning. Ommochromes might also be involved in cell homeostasis by detoxifying free tryptophan and buffering oxidative stress. These biological functions are directly linked to their unique chromophore, the phenoxazine/phenothiazine system. The most recent reviews on ommochrome biochemistry were published more than 30 years ago, since when new results on the enzymes of the ommochrome pathway, on ommochrome photochemistry as well as on their antiradical capacities have been obtained. Ommochromasomes are the organelles where ommochromes are synthesised and stored. Hence, they play an important role in mediating ommochrome functions. Ommochromasomes are part of the lysosome-related organelles (LROs) family, which includes other pigmented organelles such as vertebrate melanosomes. Ommochromasomes are unique because they are the only LRO for which a recycling process during reversible colour change has been described. Herein, we provide an update on ommochrome biochemistry, photoreactivity and antiradical capacities to explain their diversity and behaviour both in vivo and in vitro. We also highlight new biochemical techniques, such as quantum chemistry, metabolomics and crystallography, which could lead to major advances in their chemical and functional characterisation. We then focus on ommochromasome structure and formation by drawing parallels with the well-characterised melanosomes of vertebrates. The biochemical, genetic, cellular and microscopic tools that have been applied to melanosomes should provide important information on the ommochromasome life cycle. We propose LRO-based models for ommochromasome biogenesis and recycling that could be tested in the future. Using the context of insect compound eyes, we finally emphasise the importance of an integrated approach in understanding the biological functions of ommochromes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ommochromes in invertebrates: biochemistry and cell biology

2018

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“…The multifaceted and often striking color patterns and color changes in nature have fascinated biologists for centuries (Caro, Stoddard, & Stuart‐Fox, ; Cuthill et al, ). While coloration of organisms is crucial in mediating their inter‐ and intraspecific relationships, color changes in animals are often drastic, occur across temporal scales, and are thought to represent a strategy to cope with different habitats or predators over time (Cuthill et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The conspicuous postmetamorphic coloration of fire salamanders, but not their toxicity, is affected by larval background albedo

et al. 2019

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Experimental work in the early 20th century showed that background albedo experienced by larvae of the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) induce a durable morphological modification of the postmetamorphic color pattern, which needed confirmation due to the controversies regarding Paul Kammerer's experiments. Such a carry‐over effect would be relevant as the black and yellow pattern of the alkaloid‐containing adult fire salamanders has been suggested to serve as an aposematic signal. Hence, we hypothesized that (a) adult coloration is conspicuous to potential predators under light conditions at night, given the nocturnal activity of this species, and (b) a condition affecting the salamander's coloration pattern would also affect its toxicity to maintain a quantitatively honest aposematic signal. To test the first hypothesis, we used spectrometry to model the vision of potential avian and snake predators and confirmed that fire salamander's black‐and‐yellow pattern is contrasting enough against the forest leaf litter to be considered conspicuous at night. To test the second hypothesis, we first confirmed the background carry‐over effect on black and yellow proportions in the dorsal skin of experimentally reared fire salamanders, using a rigorous experimental design. Then, we calculated the conspicuousness and determined the alkaloid profiles of these individuals. We did not find a correlation between conspicuousness and toxicity at the intrapopulation level. Moreover, there was no background carry‐over effect on the alkaloid profile. We discuss our results in a physiological, ecological, evolutionary, and historical context.

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“…Each topic covered in this special issue touches on the interdisciplinary nature of animal coloration research [12]. We also emphasize that this field not only draws on many disciplines but also contributes fundamental knowledge to those disciplines, and generates solutions for societal problems too [13]. We hope that this theme issue will enable readers to make better sense of this broad, growing and dynamic area of biology.…”

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confidence: 94%

Animal coloration: production, perception, function and application

Caro

Stoddard

Stuart‐Fox

2017

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Research on animal coloration is a vibrant area of biology currently involving evolutionary biologists, behavioural ecologists, psychologists, optical physicists, visual ecologists, geneticists and anthropologists. The proliferation of recent work requires that we take stock of the field, aiming to identify major themes, questions and future directions. This was the goal of the year-long Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin 'focus group ' (2015-2016), in which many of the authors in this issue participated either as fellows or visitors. The result is this 19-chapter theme issue, in which we pinpoint the breakthroughs and challenges in animal coloration research, focusing on production, perception, function and evolution. We also explore animal coloration research as it applies to humans. This theme issue is by no means exhaustive but our goal has been to summarize and synthesize the state of animal coloration research in 2017 and to chart courses for the future.The basic principles underlying animal coloration were formulated in a flurry of research during the second half of the 1800s and early part of the last century. These include the functional significance of coloration, involving protective coloration [1], disruptive coloration and countershading [2], sexually selected coloration [3], mimicry [4,5] and aposematism [6]. Use of colour phenotypes as genetic markers to study developmental processes and natural selection in the wild was critical to the early development of genetics and evolutionary theory [7]. In 1940, Cott's important volume [8] was a major milestone in our understanding of the functional significance of colour patterns, while Kettlewell [9] and Ford [10] spearheaded understanding of polymorphisms. In the 1960s and 1970s, we recognized that non-humans see the world differently from us, particularly in relation to ultraviolet perception [11]. Owing to the advent of spectrophotometry and digital imaging-combined with elegant laboratory and field studies, and large-scale comparative analyses-the field has since mushroomed. Now, the diversity and rapid pace of modern animal coloration research make it a particularly exciting interdisciplinary field.This issue provides an entry point to recent developments in the main areas of animal coloration research: colour production, perception, function and evolution, and application. We present the articles in this order. Each topic covered in this special issue touches on the interdisciplinary nature of animal coloration research [12]. We also emphasize that this field not only draws on many disciplines but also contributes fundamental knowledge to those disciplines, and generates solutions for societal problems too [13]. We hope that this theme issue will enable readers to make better sense of this broad, growing and dynamic area of biology.Competing interests. We declare we have no competing interests. Funding. We received no funding for this study.

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Animal coloration research: why it matters

Cited by 37 publications

References 81 publications

Ommochromes in invertebrates: biochemistry and cell biology

Ommochromes in invertebrates: biochemistry and cell biology

The conspicuous postmetamorphic coloration of fire salamanders, but not their toxicity, is affected by larval background albedo

Animal coloration: production, perception, function and application

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