Animal adaptations related to skin pigmentation particularly camouflage

1. PigmentationPigmentation &&AdaptationAdaptation
Behaviour of Animals:Behaviour of Animals:
Lower Vertebrates to HigherLower Vertebrates to Higher
Binumon T MBinumon T M
M. Phill.M. Phill.
ZoologyZoology

2. Animal AdaptationsAnimal Adaptations
 Anything that helps an organism surviveAnything that helps an organism survive
in its environment is an adaptation.in its environment is an adaptation.
 It also refers to the ability of livingIt also refers to the ability of living
things to adjust to different conditionsthings to adjust to different conditions
within their environments.within their environments.

3. Adaptations for…..Adaptations for…..
 The particular habit of living together.The particular habit of living together.
E.g. PenguinsE.g. Penguins
 Ways of navigating on the Earth,Ways of navigating on the Earth,
including walking, swimming, climbing andincluding walking, swimming, climbing and
hoppinghopping
 MigrationMigration
 Camouflage for avoiding a predatorCamouflage for avoiding a predator

4. Adaptations for…..Adaptations for…..
 Hibernation avoid unpleasant climateHibernation avoid unpleasant climate
 Ability to conserve fat and water in theAbility to conserve fat and water in the
body overcome harsh environmentbody overcome harsh environment
 Try to appear larger in order to wardTry to appear larger in order to ward
off predation e.g. puffer or balloon fishoff predation e.g. puffer or balloon fish

5. Habitat

6. ArborealArboreal

7. MigrationMigration

8. Camouflage

9. Hibernation

10. Food storage

11. Enlarging body

12. AdaptationsAdaptations
 Structural AdaptationStructural Adaptation
 Behavioral adaptationBehavioral adaptation

13. Structural AdaptationStructural Adaptation
 A body part that aids in survivalA body part that aids in survival
MimicryMimicry
Chemical defenseChemical defense
Body coverings & partsBody coverings & parts
CamouflageCamouflage

14. Behavioral adaptationBehavioral adaptation
 Activities that help an animal survivalActivities that help an animal survival
 Behaviour adaptations can be learned orBehaviour adaptations can be learned or
instinctiveinstinctive
Social behaviour Social behaviour
Behaviour for protectionBehaviour for protection

15. Social behaviourSocial behaviour
 A group of animal can defeats itsA group of animal can defeats its
predator, E.g. African buffalo attackpredator, E.g. African buffalo attack
lionlion

16. MimicryMimicry
 Allows one animal to look, sound, or actAllows one animal to look, sound, or act
like another animal to fool predators intolike another animal to fool predators into
thinking it is poisonous or dangerousthinking it is poisonous or dangerous
 E.g. Milk Snake(Left) mimicking Coral Snake(right)E.g. Milk Snake(Left) mimicking Coral Snake(right)

17. Chemical defenseChemical defense
 Venomous snakesVenomous snakes

18. Feathers, hairs, hard skin, horns and
tusks, Webbed Feet, Sharp Claws,
Sharp Teeths, Wings/Flying and Hooves
Body coverings & parts

19. CamouflageCamouflage
 Colors and patterns of organisms matchColors and patterns of organisms match
the surrounds. This helps animals hidethe surrounds. This helps animals hide
from predatorsfrom predators

20. Different skin pigments
 Most common pigment in vertebrate isMost common pigment in vertebrate is
thethe melaninmelanin. Gives black and agouti color. Gives black and agouti color
 In birds and mammalsIn birds and mammals orangeorange andand redred
color created bycolor created by carotenoidcarotenoid pigments,pigments,
obtained from dietary sourceobtained from dietary source
 In birds and mammals,In birds and mammals, blueblue colored skincolored skin
is caused by thick arrays of collagenis caused by thick arrays of collagen
fibers in the dermisfibers in the dermis
 In poikilotherms, colors in the yellow toIn poikilotherms, colors in the yellow to
red range are produced byred range are produced by xanthophoresxanthophores
andand erythrophoreserythrophores

21. Different skin pigments
 BlueBlue coloration in fish, amphibians andcoloration in fish, amphibians and
reptiles is primarily due to the presencereptiles is primarily due to the presence
ofof iridophoresiridophores underlain byunderlain by melanophoresmelanophores
 IridophoresIridophores giving an iridescent shinegiving an iridescent shine
and leucophores appearing white orand leucophores appearing white or
creamcream

22. Green
Combinations of structural blue color and
pteridines or carotenoids can produce
green skin or feathers and purple
feathers
In a number of amphibians and reptiles,
greens produced in this way can change
to other colors like brown in anolis
lizards or in tree frogs.

23. Physiological color change
Transitions between these colors are
made possible by a three dimensional
arrangement of chromatophores known as
a Dermal chromatophore unit

24. Physiological color change
Shifts between colors are caused by
dispersion and aggregation of the
chromatosomes in each layer of cells
such that different wavelengths of light
are absorbed or reflected.
Changes in chameleon color and
patterning are similarly caused by shifts
in different layers of chromatophores.

25. Biological moderators of color
change
 TheThe MSH (melanocyte stimulatingMSH (melanocyte stimulating
hormone) and MCH (melaninhormone) and MCH (melanin
concentrating hormone)concentrating hormone)

26. Effect of MSH & MCH in
animals
 Physiological color change:Physiological color change: Short termShort term
expression causes melanosomes toexpression causes melanosomes to
disperse (making the animal appeardisperse (making the animal appear
darker) or to aggregate (making thedarker) or to aggregate (making the
animal appear lighter)animal appear lighter)
 Morphological color change:Morphological color change: Longer termLonger term
expression of MSH and MCH causesexpression of MSH and MCH causes
alteration to the number ofalteration to the number of
melanophores to the permanentmelanophores to the permanent
coloration of animal.coloration of animal.

27. ConclusionConclusion
Adaptation can be either physical orAdaptation can be either physical or
behavioral. Each group of animal havebehavioral. Each group of animal have
its own general adaptations. Theseits own general adaptations. These
groups are: fishes, amphibians,groups are: fishes, amphibians,
reptiles, birds and mammals, some ofreptiles, birds and mammals, some of
these adaptation make it easy tothese adaptation make it easy to
identify which group of an animalidentify which group of an animal
belongs to…….belongs to…….

28. Thank youThank you