View allAll Photos Tagged pigmentation
Considered rare, this Leucistic Mallard hen has been calling LaSalle Park home. "Leucism is the genetic partial lack of pigmentation which leaves her predominantly white with brown spots.
I collected some springtails in the garden from my sister Annie in Kaulille. Thanks Annie :-) She has a lot of Entomobrya nivalis in her garden.
I gave the springtail a tulip to discover...
In this dorsal shot you can see that in nivalis the U-ornamentation never touches the posterior segment margin.
Forma dorsalis of nivalis: note thoracic dorsal pigmentation is absent/indistinct.
This I learned from Frans Janssens :-) Thanks Frans !
Leucistic Mountain Bluebird
Leucism is a partial loss of pigmentation, which can make the animal have white or patchily colored skin, hair, or feathers.
This album's name is dedicated to my favourite game of all time Elder Scrolls Online and race of all time, The Argonians (reptile humanoids). There's a story for you to read below about some of them towards the bottom.
What does Ku Vastei mean? Read below
By Lights-the-Way, Mystic of the Mages Guild
It is hard to describe the culture of my people. Often my tongue stumbles as I try to explain, but it is my hope that ink and quill will give me time enough to gather my thoughts. And perhaps, though such writing, I will finally connect the parts of me that now feel so divided; my homeland of Murkmire and my new life within the Mages Guild.
These journals are to become my ku-vastei. And, as I write that, I can think of no better topic to begin with.
Ku-vastei roughly translates to "the catalyst of needed change," though such a direct translation in no way does justice to the original meaning. Another translation could be "that which creates the needed pathway for change to occur" or even "the spark which ignites the flame which must come into being."
Perhaps a more direct analysis should be first presented. Ku-vastei is a noun, a thing or person. Vastei directly translates to change, an important part of my culture. Ku is harder to speak of. It is that which leads to change, though not that which creates change. An important role, as stagnation is a fate worse than death.
Take a boulder which sits atop a cliff, teetering in place. It must fall eventually. The ku-vastei does not push the boulder off the cliff; rather, it picks the pebble which holds the rock in place. And so it falls, not by a push, but by a pathway cleared.
Ku-vastei is revered, just as change itself is revered, for to look back at what was means to stumble as you move forward. Sometimes, a little push in the right direction is all someone needs to remember such wisdom. Other times, they may need to be shoved.
-------------------------------------
The Gee-Rusleel Tribe
by Emmanubeth Hurrent, the Wayfarers' Society of Wayrest
I've had the privilege to speak to two different Miredancer elders now, and I've learned a great deal from both of these conversations. The "Gee-Rusleel," as they call themselves, are among the most introspective Argonians I've met in my travels. They also tend to be the most pleasant. For all their reclusiveness and wariness, I've never met a people more willing to share a meal or a game of Shells and Stones. They are skilled crafters, with a particular knack for working with Hist amber and egg shells. They are also peerless navigators, guiding their flat-bottom boats effortlessly through the swamp, master weavers, and skilled cartographers.
The most defining characteristic of the Miredancer tribe, however, is piety. This deep reverence for the Hist has earned them the right to name a "Sap-Speaker" for countless generations.
According to the elders I spoke with, the Sap-Speaker is the Hist's direct intermediary. (This is, of course, subject to debate. Many tribes boast unique methods of communion with the Hist. But as far as I have seen, the Miredancers make the most compelling case for the methods they use.) Sap-Speakers often go into seclusion for days or even weeks on end, venturing either down into the roots or high into the canopy of leaves in the uppermost branches. Here, they commune with the Hist. Indeed, the word that one of the elders used was "journey."
These journeys into the Hist tax the Sap-Speakers, but are thoroughly private affairs. After days by themselves, the Sap-Speakers emerge to hide away with old books, scrolls, and tablets. I asked after the purpose of these periods of seclusion, and this is what the elders told me. "The Sap-Speaker enters the embrace of the Hist to learn from the great tree," one elder said. "While in close contact with the roots and branches, the Sap-Speaker receives visions and other forms of communication that neither you nor I would understand."
The other elder continued. "Even the Sap-Speaker finds some of what is shown to be mystifying and confusing. I have heard that a Sap-Speaker is treated to ancient metaphors, arcane secrets, and visions that make little sense to creatures so far removed from sap and pulp." Apparently, the second period of seclusion allows the Sap-Speaker time to reflect on what he or she was shown, as well as time to consult with the ancient writings of Sap-Speakers who came before. After a suitable period of study and reflection, the Sap-Speaker emerges to reveal the Hist's will to the tribe.
I attempted to get more information about what happens while the Sap-Speaker meditates among the roots or branches, but I'm not sure the elders knew much more. They did tell me that the only nourishment the Sap-Speaker receives during these periods of seclusion is provided by the Hist itself in the form of sap, leaves, and the otherwise forbidden fruit of the tree.
There is a price to pay for the gift of Hist communion, however. Ingesting large quantities of Hist sap is a dangerous affair, even for Argonians. Sap-Speakers routinely suffer the effects of sap-poisoning, including "gold tongue" (permanent change of mouth pigmentation to a golden hue), unbidden hallucinations, "bark-scale" (thickening and darkening of surface scales), and other maladies they were reticent to talk about. The current Sap-Speaker, Thumarz, was in seclusion during my visit to the tribal village. I hope to meet him someday. If he's half as wise as the elders I interacted with, I'd no doubt learn a great deal from him.
Despite their deeply religious nature, the Miredancers also seem to have an obsession with games of all types. They are particularly fond of the games Nine-Shells and Shells and Stones, as well as sports such as the popular "teeba-hatsei" (also known as "hip and tail ball.") In addition to lovingly explaining their own games, they wanted to know everything I could tell them about the games we play back in Wayrest. I must admit, their enthusiasm was quite infectious! And I found it highly amusing to watch them try to re-create Deceiver's Bones from the vague description I provided.
The Miredancers are also inveterate gamblers, but they often forget to collect their winnings. Unlike the games of men and mer, Miredancer competitions appear to be completely devoid of malice or injured pride. Victory and defeat seem more like afterthoughts than objectives, due in no small part to their phlegmatic disposition. As in most things, their focus is strictly on the moment—the now. It pains me to leave their village, but I still have many more tribes to study. I doubt any of them will be as fascinating or as friendly as the Miredancers.
["the tribe is not currently in the game but in the world of the game"]
This is the first time I have ever seen a White Cardinal and she is a beauty! I am especially fond of her cute eyebrows and matching tuft. She has a male partner who is bright red. I hope to get a photo of the two of them together.
Leucism is a genetic condition that causes a partial loss of pigmentation. This results in areas of white, pale, or patchy coloration.
Ellicott City, Maryland
Last Saturday, 23-06, I was, accompanied by a guide in the nature reserve "Cortenbroeck" in Vlezenbeek, on springtail hunt. It was a real safari trip :-)
8 different springtails I could capture on photo, 24 june.
This are 2 Entomobrya nivalis eating...
Artwork at RHS Bridgewater drawing attention to spicies in danger.
The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) has a complex and fascinating life cycle, characterized by its long migrations. Born in the Sargasso Sea, near Bermuda, the eel begins its life as a larva, drifting for up to three years across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. Once it reaches the continental waters, the larvae transform into juvenile eels called "glass eels," which are transparent and migrate into rivers, lakes, and estuaries. Over the next several years, they grow into adult eels, developing a dark pigmentation. These adults can live up to 20 years, often in freshwater environments, before undergoing a mysterious migration back to the Sargasso Sea to spawn and die. This life cycle, particularly the journey back to the Sargasso Sea, remains one of nature's great mysteries.
It's currently facing a significant decline in population, with numbers plummeting by over 90% in recent decades. Overfishing, habitat loss, pollution, and the construction of barriers like dams have severely impacted their migration routes, breeding success, and overall survival. The eel's complex life cycle, combined with environmental pressures, has made recovery difficult. Additionally, climate change and oceanic changes threaten the eel's spawning grounds in the Sargasso Sea. This drastic decrease in numbers has led the species to be listed as critically endangered, sparking conservation efforts to protect the eel's remaining habitats and ensure its survival.
Anthocharis cardamines, the orange tip, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae, which contains 1100 species of butterfly. A. cardamines is mainly found throughout Europe and temperate Asia (Palearctic) The males feature wings with a signature orange pigmentation
In nature, light creates the colour. In the picture, colour creates the light. Hans Hofmann.
Hans Hofmann (March 21, 1880 – February 17, 1966) was a German-born American painter, renowned as both an artist and teacher. His career spanned two generations and two continents, and is considered to have both preceded and influenced Abstract Expressionism. Born and educated near Munich, he was active in the early twentieth-century European avant-garde and brought a deep understanding and synthesis of Symbolism, Neo-impressionism, Fauvism, and Cubism when he emigrated to the United States in 1932. Hofmann's painting is characterized by its rigorous concern with pictorial structure and unity, spatial illusionism, and use of bold color for expressive means.
Hofmann is also regarded as one of the most influential art teachers of the 20th century. He established an art school in Munich in 1915 that built on the ideas and work of Cézanne, the Cubists and Kandinsky; some art historians suggest it was the first modern school of art anywhere. After relocating to the United States, he reopened the school in both New York City and Provincetown, Massachusetts until he retired from teaching in 1958 to paint full-time. His teaching had a significant influence on post-war American avant-garde artists—including Helen Frankenthaler, Nell Blaine, Lee Krasner, Joan Mitchell, Louise Nevelson, and Larry Rivers, among many—as well as on the theories of Greenberg, in his emphasis on the medium, picture plane, and unity of the work. Some of Hofmann's other key tenets include his push/pull spatial theories, his insistence that abstract art has its origin in nature, and his belief in the spiritual value of art. Source Wikipedia.
Eberhard Weber - Colours Quartet Live 1976
TD : 1/160 f/8 ISO 400 @100 mm
Appears to be a little Leucism going on here.
Can show a wide variety of conditions that result in the partial loss of pigmentation in an animal—causing white, pale, or patchy , feathers, , but not the eyes.
A very pale one with a special patch found in the park (Itterdal) in Opitter.
stack in zerene : 10 images used
The Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus) shows distinctive coloration in its facial skin and cere, which varies with age and can change rapidly according to physiological state. Juveniles typically display pale tones such as pink, greyish, or dull pinkish-purple, while adults show stronger yellows to oranges, reaching reddish-orange during periods of high arousal. At rest, adults usually exhibit yellow or yellowish-orange tones.
These colors result from the interaction of carotenoid pigmentation and changes in blood flow. Adults possess more pigmented bare skin, and increased circulation intensifies the color, producing darker orange or reddish hues. Reduced blood flow, associated with submission or certain types of stress, causes the skin to pale and reveal mostly the yellow carotenoids.
In essence, the coloration of the cere and facial skin reflects both the bird’s age and its immediate physiological state, functioning as a rapid visual signal of arousal, alertness, dominance, or submission.
• Carancho
• Southern crested caracara
Scientific classification:
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Aves
Order:Falconiformes
Family:Falconidae
Subfamily:Polyborinae
Genus:Caracara
Species:C. plancus
Laguna Garzón area, Maldonado–Rocha border, Uruguay
The yellow meadow ant feeds on the honeydew from root aphids, which they breed in their nests. During winter, the aphids themselves are sometimes eaten. As a consequence of their feeding habits, the species only occasionally forages outside the nest. Evidence of their underground lives is their lack of pigmentation and the smaller size of their eyes,[3] compared to closely related species like the black garden ant. They are a timid species and will often simply barricade their tunnels to fight off invaders.
Alates (winged, unmated queens and males) can be seen on warm days and evenings of July and August. This is one of the rare times that they are seen, as workers open up their nest entrances and herd the young winged ants out of the nest. Colonies are often founded by multiple queens (pleometrosis). Later on, when the first workers emerge, fights between the founder queens will erupt, with only one queen left (monogyne). However, this species is also known to have single colonies with multiple queens and up to 250,000 workers, when they are spread out over multiple interconnected nests.[4]
This leucistic Dark Eyed Junco has been a regular visitor at my feeders over the past 3 weeks, surprising me every time I catch a flash of pure white zipping across the yard or kicking under the feeders.
Leucism is a condition in birds and mammals that causes a partial lack of pigmentation. It is distinct from albinism which causes a complete lack of pigment, resulting in pink eyes.
Nel periodo autunnale, in alta Valle del Vanoi in Trentino, la natura dimostra un esplosione di colori dai toni caldi. In particolare gli alberi che sono prossimi a perdere le foglie, si colorano di giallo, rosso e arancione, questo effetto nominato "Foliage" è dovuto alla spostamento della clorofilla dalle stesse foglie alle radice della pianta, cambiando cosi la pigmentazione. Qui siamo in località Zortea nel comune di Canal San Bovo (TN).
In autumn, in the upper Vanoi Valley in Trentino, the nature demonstrates an explosion of colors in warm tones. In particular, trees that are close to losing their leaves turn yellow, red and orange, this effect called "Foliage" is due to the displacement of chlorophyll from the same leaves to the root of the plant, thus changing the pigmentation. Here we are at Zortea in the municipality of Canal San Bovo (TN).
The leucitic,or "white" Red Kite photographed at Gigrin farm, Rhayader. It's unusual colour is caused by a rare genetic mutation which prevents normal pigmentation of the feathers resulting in predominantly white or pale plumage.
The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus Megaptera.
The adult humpback whale is generally 14–15 m (46–49 ft), though longer lengths of 16–17 m (52–56 ft) have been recorded. Females are usually 1–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in) longer than males.
The species can reach body masses of 40 metric tons (44 short tons). Calves are born at around 4.3 m (14 ft) long with a weight of 680 kg (1,500 lb).
The body is bulky with a thin rostrum and proportionally long flippers, each around one-third of its body length.[15][16] It has a short dorsal fin that varies from nearly non-existent to somewhat long and curved.
As a rorqual, the humpback has grooves between the tip of the lower jaw and the navel. They are relatively few in number in this species, ranging from 14–35. The mouth is lined with baleen plates, which number 270-400 for both sides.
Unique among large whales, humpbacks have bumps or tubercles on the head and front edge of the flippers; the tail fluke has a jagged trailing edge.
The tubercles on the head are 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) thick at the base and poke up to 6.5 cm (2.6 in). They are mostly hollow in the center, often containing at least one fragile hair that erupts 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) from the skin and is 0.1 mm (0.0039 in) thick. The tubercles develop early in the womb and may have a sensory function as they are rich in nerves.
The dorsal or upper-side of the animal is generally black; the ventral or underside has various levels of black and white coloration. Whales in the southern hemisphere tend to have more white pigmentation. The flippers can vary from all-white to white only on the undersurface.
The varying color patterns and scars on the tail flukes distinguish individual animals. The end of the genital slit of the female is marked by a round feature, known as the hemispherical lobe, which visually distinguishes males and females.
This image was taken from the breakwater at Honningsvag in Norway
Calopteryx virgo can reach a body length of 49–54 millimetres (1.9–2.1 in), with a length of hindwings of 31–37 millimetres (1.2–1.5 in). These large, dark damselflies have small hemispherical eyes located laterally on the head, two pairs of wings similar in shape and a slender abdomen. The basal area of the wings is transparent, otherwise wings are uniformly colored. The wings are also traversed by a dense network of veins. This species presents an evident sexual dimorphism in colour pattern.
The male usually has much more extensive pigmentation on the wings than other Calopteryx species in its range: in the south east of its range (the Balkans and Turkey) the wings are entirely metallic blue while in other areas, there are clear areas at the base and tip of the wing. Immature males show brown wings, as the metallic blue wing color develops only with age. They have metallic blue-green bodies and blue-green eyes.
The female has dark brown iridescent wings, a white patch near the tip of the wings (called a pseudopterostigma) and a metallic green body with a bronze tip of the abdomen.
White-cheeked Turaco (Menelikornis leucotis) is green with deep greenish-blue tail and wings. The ventral surfaces of their wings are crimson. They have a white patch in front of their eyes and on the side of their neck. These birds have a red beak and eye ring and a blue-green crest.
This species has a very large range and can be found in Eritrea, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Sudan.
Turacos are the only birds to possess true red and green pigmentation. When you look at most birds, the colour you are seeing is a reflection produced by the feather structure. Their red pigment (turacin) and green pigment (turacoverdin) both contain copper.
Ref: seaworld.org
File: zR23H4549
The vibrant colors on a hummingbird's throat are caused by iridescence in the arrangement of feathers, not by feather pigmentation.
The red kite is usually a deep reddish-brown in colour – but this one is almost all-white, with icy-blue eyes, due to leucism, or a partial loss of pigmentation.
This bird, which I photographed at a red kite feeding station in Rhayader, is believed to be one of just two leucistic red kites in the whole of the mid-Wales region.
Welcome my son, welcome to the machine.
Where have you been? It's alright we know where you've been.
You've been in the pipeline, filling in time,
provided with toys and scouting for boys.
You bought a guitar to punish your ma,
And you didn't like school, and you know you're nobody's fool,
So welcome to the machine.
Welcome my son, welcome to the machine.
What did you dream? It's alright we told you what to dream.
You dreamed of a big star, he played a mean guitar,
He always ate in the Steak Bar. He loved to drive in his Jaguar.
So welcome to the machine.
Pink Floyd
The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus Megaptera.
The adult humpback whale is generally 14–15 m (46–49 ft), though longer lengths of 16–17 m (52–56 ft) have been recorded. Females are usually 1–1.5 m (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in) longer than males.
The species can reach body masses of 40 metric tons (44 short tons). Calves are born at around 4.3 m (14 ft) long with a weight of 680 kg (1,500 lb).
The body is bulky with a thin rostrum and proportionally long flippers, each around one-third of its body length.[15][16] It has a short dorsal fin that varies from nearly non-existent to somewhat long and curved.
As a rorqual, the humpback has grooves between the tip of the lower jaw and the navel. They are relatively few in number in this species, ranging from 14–35. The mouth is lined with baleen plates, which number 270-400 for both sides.
Unique among large whales, humpbacks have bumps or tubercles on the head and front edge of the flippers; the tail fluke has a jagged trailing edge.
The tubercles on the head are 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) thick at the base and poke up to 6.5 cm (2.6 in). They are mostly hollow in the center, often containing at least one fragile hair that erupts 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) from the skin and is 0.1 mm (0.0039 in) thick. The tubercles develop early in the womb and may have a sensory function as they are rich in nerves.
The dorsal or upper-side of the animal is generally black; the ventral or underside has various levels of black and white coloration. Whales in the southern hemisphere tend to have more white pigmentation. The flippers can vary from all-white to white only on the undersurface.
The varying color patterns and scars on the tail flukes distinguish individual animals. The end of the genital slit of the female is marked by a round feature, known as the hemispherical lobe, which visually distinguishes males and females.
This image was taken from the beakwater at Honningsvag Harbour in Norway