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Erythrism

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Erythrism

Erythrism or erythrochroism refers to an unusuaI reddish pigmentation of an animaI's fur, hair, skin, feathers, or eggshells.

Causes of erythrism include

  • genetic mutations which cause an absence of a normal pigment and/or excessive production of others
  • diet, as in bees feeding on "bright red (colored) corn syrup" used in maraschino cherry manufacturing
  • Erythrism in katydids has been occasionally observed. The coloring might be a camouflage that helps some members of the species survive on red plants. 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.

  • Erythrism in katydids
  • References

    Erythrism Wikipedia