Pigmentation is a biological process by which cells synthesize, package, and distribute pigments that confer color to tissues, organs, or whole organisms, typically via specialized cells such as melanocytes, chromatophores, or pigment-containing plastids. It involves regulated pathways of pigment biosynthesis (e.g., melanin, carotenoids, ommochromes), intracellular transport and sequestration within organelles, and spatial-temporal control of pigment cell differentiation and activity. Pigmentation contributes to photoprotection, camouflage, signaling, and physiological regulation, and is modulated by genetic programs, developmental cues, endocrine factors, and environmental variables such as light exposure, temperature, and nutrient availability.
Nudibranchs are often referred to as the butterflies of the sea. Nudibranchs live worldwide, primarily in warm, shallow marine regions, and stand out for their flamboyant colors and diverse shapes. A team from the Max Planck ...
Bio & Medicine
Mar 20, 2026
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The combination of a beaver-like body and duck-like bill of the platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is only the first of a long list of strange features on this unique creature. These odd mammals also lay eggs, have venomous ...
Why does a Caribbean angelfish sometimes resemble its Indo-Pacific cousin, even though they have never lived in the same ocean? Why do coral reefs harbor such a wide range of stripes, spots and patterns? A study conducted ...
Evolution
Mar 5, 2026
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21
Red-fleshed kiwifruit, valued for its high anthocyanin content and associated health benefits, is increasingly threatened by rising temperatures. Global warming severely inhibits anthocyanin accumulation, leading to flesh ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Feb 4, 2026
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10
For flowering plants, reproduction is a question of the birds and the bees. Attracting the right pollinator can be a matter of survival—and new research shows how flowers do it is more intriguing than anyone realized, and ...
Evolution
Jan 27, 2026
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45
A pigment that makes feathers and hair orange helps prevent cellular damage by removing excess cysteine from cells. Pheomelanin is an orange-to-red pigment that is built with the amino acid cysteine and found in human red ...
Evolution
Jan 6, 2026
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Two new studies into lizard colors reveal how one species maintains its colorful diversity while others are losing their ancient colors. And the changes are being driven by the biological equivalent of rock-paper-scissors.
People typically think about evolution as a linear process where, within a species, the classic adage of "survival of the fittest" is constantly at play. New DNA mutations arise and get passed from parents to offspring. If ...
Evolution
Dec 12, 2025
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22
Wood warblers, also called New World warblers, are some of the most colorful birds in North America, with more than a hundred species in the family ranging in color from yellow, orange and red to blue, green and pink. A new ...
Evolution
Dec 11, 2025
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22
The ability of some animals to dynamically change color to match the brightness of their surroundings is one of nature's great survival tools, allowing flatfish to blend into sandy seabeds, frogs to adjust to the bottom of ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 10, 2025
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