View allAll Photos Tagged pigmentation
This stunningly, and interestingly coloured Carpet Python (Morelia spilota) has a really unique pigmentation. I couldn't get over the intricate detail around her head and eyes - and look at those eyes!!! I have never seen such striking blue eyes in a snake.
This particular Beauty is one of the permanent residents and ambassador of its kind in the Lone Pine Koala Sactuary, QLD.
Update November 26, 2025 - This image has been shortlisted for the APOY 2025 Category "Animal Kingdom"
J'attendais que le balbuzard pêcheur qui avait quitté sa perche revienne.
De loin je voyais ce grand oiseau envahir mon viseur et tournoyer très haut dans le ciel. Surprise et primeur...un urubu à tête rouge.
Enfin de nom seulement car il s'agit d'un juvénile dont la tête n'a pas encore pris cette pigmentation caractéristique. D'où la primeur.
While waiting for the return of the osprey, I noticed this large bird coming towards me and circling very high in the sky. A first for me. A Juvenile Turkey Vulture in flight.
I had never seen one young enough where the characteristic pigmentation of the head was still absent.
Summerstown, ON, Canada.
Smile on Saturday ~ Two-gether (2025/02/08)
The southern yellow-billed hornbill (Tockus leucomelas) is a hornbill found in southern Africa. Yellow-billed hornbills feed mainly on the ground, where they forage for seeds, small insects, spiders and scorpions. This hornbill species is a common and widespread resident of dry thornveldt and broad-leafed woodlands. They can often be seen along roads and water courses.
t is a medium-sized bird, 48–60 centimetres (19–24 in) in length, 132–242 grams (0.291–0.534 lb) in weight and is characterized by a long yellow and down-curved beak. This beak is huge in comparison to its body and can account for up 1/6th of the entire body length. Male beaks are on average 90 mm long while female beaks are an average of 74 mm. Males are generally bigger than females but there is overlap between the sexes. The size difference of the beak is a fairly reliable way of differentiating sex in wild hornbills.
The casque that characterizes all hornbills is of a very modest size in the southern yellow-billed hornbill. It is small, but it covers almost the entire length of the beak in males (less so in females), and may give the impression that they do not actually have a casque. As in all hornbills, the size of the beak actually intrudes on the frontal vision of the bird and the first two neck vertebrae are fused together.
Also, like most other hornbills, they possess a long tail, long eyelashes, stubby legs and stubby toes. The front three toes are fused together near the base.
They have white belly, grey neck, and black back plumage with abundant white spots and stripes. The neck has gray spots and the chest is lightly striated with black. Southern yellow-billed hornbills have no plumage pigmentation save for melanin, which can only produce shades of black and white. The eyes are usually yellow, though brown has also been seen. The skin around the eyes and in the malar stripe is pinkish. The related eastern yellow-billed hornbill from north-eastern Africa has blackish skin around the eyes.
They have been known to live for up to 20 years in captivity, though their longevity in the wilds remains unknown.
Hornbills have a unique look, so many cultures give them an important place in their beliefs. Some indigenous tribes revere hornbills as sacred beings that must not be harmed. Others will hunt them for food, to use them in the confection of traditional medicine or to use them in rituals.
Dikhololo
Brits Rural Area
Northwest Province
South Africa
I've never seen leucism (lack of pigmentation) on this species before. I've seen in a few other species though. There was another sibling just like it too. I find it interesting because I have never ever seen leucism in more than one bird at a time. The parents nearby had their common slate-gray plumage intact as you can see in the adult one.
About two-thirds of the Persicaria maculosa plants along my Meuse walk have those dark blotches more or less midway their foliage. It's from those that it gets its English common but imaginative name 'Lady's Thumb'`. Much nicer than the Dutch common 'Perzikkruid' (=Peach-herb), after the shape of its foliage. It's as if a Lady's come along to pick a bunch of wildflowers and left her thumb squeeze on the delicate foliage.
I don't know what purpose that pigmentation serves. Anyone out there in Flickrland?
Eristalis tenax, the common drone fly, is a common, migratory, cosmopolitan species of hover fly It is the most widely distributed syrphid species in the world, and is known from all regions except the Antarctic. It has been introduced into North America and is widely established. It can be found in gardens and fields in Europe and Australia. It has also been found in the Himalayas..Eristalis tenax is a large, stocky bee mimic. The eyes are marbled in black. Males have hovering displays. The average wing length is 9.75–13 mm and their average wingspan is 15 mm.
The exact appearance of the drone fly can vary considerably.The abdomen can vary in color from dark brown to orange. Pigmentation has an important role in the control of body temperature; the black areas down the center of the drone-flies abdomen may absorb solar radiation and so warm the dorsal blood vessel, which is right underneath
Myrmica rubra, also known in the UK as the common red ant, is a species of ant of the genus Myrmica. It is found across Europe and is now invasive in some parts of North America[2] and Asia.[1] It is mainly red in colour, with slightly darker pigmentation on the head. These ants live under stones and fallen trees, and in soil. They are aggressive, often attacking rather than running away, and are equipped with a stinger, though they lack the ability to spray formic acid like the genus Formica.
Neotinea tridentata -hypochromatic form (Orchidaceae) 141 25
Neotinea tridentata - hypochromatic form - is a rare color variant of the three-toothed orchid, characterized by pale pink to white flowers due to reduced pigmentation.
While the typical species has bright pink or purplish tones, the hypochromatic form lacks the usual anthocyanin coloration but retains the same morphological structure.
It usually grows in calcareous grasslands and open woodlands, especially in southern and central Europe, flowering from April to June.
The tiger has a muscular body with powerful forelimbs, a large head and a tail that is about half the length of its body. Its pelage is dense and heavy, and colouration varies between shades of orange with white ventral areas and distinctive vertical black stripes; the patterns of which are unique in each individual. Stripes are likely advantageous for camouflage in vegetation such as long grass with strong vertical patterns of light and shade. The tiger is one of only a few striped cat species; it is not known why spotted patterns and rosettes are the more common camouflage pattern among felids. The orange colour may also aid in camouflage as the tiger's prey are dichromats, and thus may perceive the cat as green and blended in with the vegetation.
A tiger's coat pattern is still visible when it is shaved. This is not due to skin pigmentation, but to the stubble and hair follicles embedded in the skin. It has a mane-like heavy growth of fur around the neck and jaws and long whiskers, especially in males. The pupils are circular with yellow irises. The small, rounded ears have a prominent white spot on the back, surrounded by black. These spots are thought to play an important role in intraspecific communication.
The tiger's skull is similar to a lion's skull, with the frontal region usually less depressed or flattened, and a slightly longer postorbital region. The lion skull shows broader nasal openings. Due to the variation in skull sizes of the two species, the structure of the lower jaw is a reliable indicator for their identification. The tiger has fairly stout teeth; its somewhat curved canines are the longest among living felids with a crown height of up to 90 mm (3.5 in)
Taken at Sandy Camp Road Wetlands Reserve, Lytton, Old.
Widespread across much of Australia. It has a predominantly white plumage with a bare, black head, long downcurved bill, and black legs.
Inner secondary plumes are displayed as lacy black "tail" feathers. The upper tail becomes yellow when the bird is breeding. During the breeding season the small patch of skin on the under-surface of the wing changes from dull pink to dark scarlet as do patches of the skin pigmentation on the back of their head.
I bought an Acer plant a few years ago. Each autumn its leaves have turned yellowish. This year it turned a deep red.
I learned according to Forestry England it's because the hotter summer resulted in more sugar production, which resulted in deeper pigmentation.
www.forestryengland.uk/news/spectacular-autumn-ahead-fore...
As I am not a leaf I cannot confirm this with full certainty but I'll go with what they are saying.
Although, I cannot agree with the cheerful tone with which the soaring temperatures are being described. Replacing "thanks to" with "due to" and "warm" with "hot" would go a long way.
In dragonflies, there are two main types of colors: natural pigmentation and structural colors. Most dragonflies have a little bit of both on their bodies. Natural Pigmentation
Natural pigmentation refers to colors that are always the same, no matter how you look at them. They usually consist of colors like brown, red, black, or yellow.
Rhyothemis Variegata, Common Picture Wing or Variegated Flutterer, is black and yellow female dragonfly on twig.
The lake contains borax islands, whose white color contrasts with the reddish color of its waters, which is caused by red sediments and pigmentation of some algae.
James's flamingos abound in the area Also it is possible to find Andean and Chilean flamingos, but in a minor quantity.
Southwest Bolivia
Wikipedia
Leuzismus (von altgr. λευκός leukós „weiß“) ist eine Defekt-Mutation bei Tieren, die dazu führt, dass das Fell weiß und die darunterliegende Haut rosa sind, da die Haut keine Melanozyten (farbstoffbildende Zellen) enthält. Im Gegensatz dazu sind beim Albinismus die Zellen zwar vorhanden, aber unfähig, den Farbstoff Melanin zu bilden. Die meisten Formen der Scheckung sind auf abgeschwächte Formen des Leuzismus zurückzuführen.
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leuzismus
Leucism is a wide variety of conditions which result in the partial loss of pigmentation in an animal—which causes white, pale, or patchy coloration of the skin, hair, feathers, scales or cuticles, but not the eyes. It is occasionally spelled leukism.
'Leucism' is often used to describe the phenotype that results from defects in pigment cell differentiation and/or migration from the neural crest to skin, hair, or feathers during development. This results in either the entire surface (if all pigment cells fail to develop) or patches of body surface (if only a subset are defective) having a lack of cells that can make pigment.
Since all pigment cell-types differentiate from the same multipotent precursor cell-type, leucism can cause the reduction in all types of pigment. This is in contrast to albinism, for which leucism is often mistaken. Albinism results in the reduction of melanin production only, though the melanocyte (or melanophore) is still present. Thus in species that have other pigment cell-types, for example xanthophores, albinos are not entirely white, but instead display a pale yellow colour.
More common than a complete absence of pigment cells is localized or incomplete hypopigmentation, resulting in irregular patches of white on an animal that otherwise has normal colouring and patterning. This partial leucism is known as a "pied" or "piebald" effect; and the ratio of white to normal-coloured skin can vary considerably not only between generations, but between different offspring from the same parents, and even between members of the same litter.
(not the best photos, but the best I could get at the time)
I noticed some almost fluorescent white stripes on one of the birds flitting around in the lilac branches and ran for the camera.
Once I saw it through the lens I realized it was a sparrow... but, I've never seen it around previously and now...not since that day although I do watch for it.
I can't believe how white the feathers were. Like I said... almost fluorescent in that they were so bright white. It is a little female... and, she seems not bothered at all by them...and, other than a few perfectly matched feathers, it was all the "leucism" she sported. The others didn't seem to treat her any differently... she was just there hanging out with everybody. Pecking at nuts and seeds in the feeders and jumping in and out of the lilac branches. And, then, she was gone ....
When I see the same size group of sparrows each day I more or less assume they are the same darn group. But, obviously she came from somewhere else... or with a different group..or maybe she is even flitting about by herself. Who knows with birds... as usual.....
Here is some info on leucisim.
Leucistic sparrows are far more prevalent than the Albinos. Spotting a sparrow with a few white parts, you might consider it to be a Partial Albino. However, the correct term for such a species is Leucine.
Whereas Albinos lack all the color pigmentation, resulting in entirely white feathers and white plumage, Leucinos are affected by a partial loss of pigmentation. This deficiency of pigmentation usually occurs in the feathers, while the soft parts remain intact.
In contrast to the Albino Sparrows, Leucistic sparrows appear to live somewhat everyday life, like their other mates. Even if not in massive amounts, the presence of melanin in their bodies aids the bird in better eyesight and stronger feathers than an absolute Albino.
Interestingly, there is often a variation in the intensity of leucism on the bird’s body, exhibiting alterations in its white feathers. With every new cycle of molding, the spread of white feathers may increase or decrease.
The photo beside this one shows her from the back and you can see the perfect symmetry of the few white feathers...which seems unusual. Often, it seems, the lack of pigment causes blotchy coloration in the photos I have seen of them.
Gannets with black iris in the eye are those that have recovered from avian flu. This one seems to have lost its blue pigmentation but doesn't look as completely black as others do.
A Canada Goose with a touch of Leucism. It was just on top of it's head. Leucism is the partial loss of all types of pigmentation, including carotenoids. The term then would be that it's Leucistic. Central Bucks PA.
The dominant gene that controls anthocyanin pigmentation of organs in the apple tree comes from Malus niedzwetzkyana, the Niedzwetzky apple tree.
The apple tree is named after the botanist Nedzvetsky. Lawyer, public figure, local historian, secretary of the Semirechye regional statistical committee. He collected the fruits of this apple tree in the vicinity of Kashgar, in the foothills of the Tien Shan, and sent them to Dr. Georg Dik, who described the plant.
Домінантний ген, що контролює антоціанову пігментацію органів у яблуні, походить від Malus niedzwetzkyana – яблуні Недзвецкієвої.
Яблуню, яка стала материнською для Malus Purpurea Group, названо на честь ботаніка Недзвецького. Юрист, громадський діяч, краєзнавець, секретар Семиріченського обласного статистичного комітету. Зібрав плоди цієї яблуні на околицях Кашгарі, в передгір'ях Тянь-Шаня, і переслав їх доктору Георгу Діку, який описав рослину.
Місце: сквер Василя Стуса, сторона проспекту Палладіна.
The adult humpback whale is generally 14–15 m (46–49 ft) long, though individuals up to 16–17 m (52–56 ft) long 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 mass of 680 kg (1,500 lb)] The species has a bulky body with a thin rostrum and proportionally long flippers, each around one-third of its body length.[14][15] It has a short dorsal fin that varies from nearly nonexistent to somewhat long and curved.
Like other rorquals, the humpback has grooves between the tip of the lower jaw and the navel. The grooves are relatively few in number in this species, ranging from 14 to 35. The upper jaw is lined with baleen plates, which number 540–800 in total and are black in color.
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. Some individuals may be all white, notably Migaloo who is a true albino. 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.
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 protrude 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 gestation and may have a sensory function, as they are rich in nerves. Sensory nerve cells in the skin are adapted to withstand the high water pressure of diving.
In one study, a humpback whale brain measured 22.4 cm (8.8 in) long and 18 cm (7.1 in) wide at the tips of the temporal lobes, and weighed around 4.6 kg (10 lb). The humpback's brain has a complexity similar to that of the brains of smaller whales and dolphins.
The structure of the eye indicates that eyesight is relatively poor, being only able to see silhouettes over long distances and finer details relatively close. Computer models of the middle ear suggest that the humpback can hear at frequencies between 15 Hz and 3 kHz "when stimulated at the tympanic membrane", and between 200 Hz and 9 kHz "if stimulated at the thinner region of the tympanic bone adjacent to the tympanic membrane". These ranges are consistent with their vocalization ranges.
As in all cetaceans, the respiratory tract of the humpback whale is connected to the blowholes and not to the mouth, although the species appears to be able to unlock the epiglottis and larynx and move them towards the oral cavity, allowing humpbacks to blow bubbles from their mouths. The vocal folds of the humpback are more horizontally positioned than those of land mammals which allows them to produce underwater calls. These calls are amplified by a laryngeal sac.
This image was taken at Isafjordur, Iceland. This whale is named "Birch" on the "HappyWhale" website and was seen initially in June 2021 . It has also been photographed near Reykjavik too.
The lunatic is in my head.
The lunatic is in my head
You raise the blade, you make the change
You re-arrange me 'til I'm sane.
You lock the door
And throw away the key
There's someone in my head but it's not me.
Roger Waters
Le huard blanc est leucistique, semblable à un animal atteint d'albinisme, mais moins extrême. L'albinisme empêche un animal de produire de la mélanine tandis que le leucisme est une « perte partielle de tous les types de pigmentation », le faisant apparaître blanc ou plus clair ou tacheté par endroits, comme l'explique le National Park Service .
Pour protéger l'oiseau et son habitat, Whitty garde le secret sur sa localisation, même s'il plaisante en disant que même si les gens savaient où il se trouve, ils ne seraient probablement pas en mesure de le trouver. Comme le savent trop bien les photographes animaliers, lorsqu'on est déterminé à photographier quelque chose de très spécifique, on a l'impression de ne jamais le voir.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
The white loon is leucistic, similar to an animal with albinism, but less extreme. Albinism prevents an animal from producing melanin while leucism is a “partial loss of all types of pigmentation,” making it appear white or lighter in color or splotchy in parts, as the National Park Service explains.
To help protect the bird and its habitat, Whitty is keeping its location under wraps, although he jokes that even if people knew where it was, they probably wouldn’t be able to find it. As wildlife photographers know all too well, when you’re determined to photograph something very specific, it feels like you’ll never see it.
Crédit : Chris Whitty
____________________________________________PdF___
Eristalis tenax, the common drone fly, is a common, migratory, cosmopolitan species of hover fly. It is the most widely distributed syrphid species in the world, and is known from all regions except the Antarctic...Eristalis tenax is a large, stocky bee mimic. The eyes are marbled in black. Males have hovering displays. The average wing length is 9.75–13 mm and their average wingspan is 15 mm.
The exact appearance of the drone fly can vary considerably. The abdomen can vary in color from dark brown to orange. Pigmentation has an important role in the control of body temperature; the black areas down the center of the drone-flies abdomen may absorb solar radiation and so warm the dorsal blood vessel, which is right underneath
I know this as Pushki and it's what is left over after it flowers and has gone to seed. There are still a couple of seeds on it still. This is a very common plant in Alaska and it's name is Heracleum maximum, also commonly known as cow parsnip. This is a plant to avoid since the sap of this plant on your skin is photosensitive and will create skin blistering on a sunny day. The resultant scars and pigmentation can last months or years.
Taken 7 July 2022 at Homer, Alaska.
The harsh truth is, most red-haired men look like blondes who've spoiled from lack of refrigeration. They look like brown-haired men who've been composted out behind the barn. Yet that same pigmentation that on a man can resemble leaf mold or junkyard rust, a woman wears like a tiara of rubies
A blue rose is a flower of the genus Rosa (family Rosaceae) that presents blue-to-violet pigmentation instead of the more common red, white, or yellow. Blue roses are often portrayed in literature and art as a symbol of love and prosperity, but which as a result of genetic limitations does not exist in nature.