2. What Creates Color? Early theories. Alan Turing, a British mathematician, was actually one of the first scientists to hypothesis a theory of how color patterns develop. In 1952, he wrote a paper explaining that he believed patterns were “self assembling product of molecular reactions created as two chemicals spread across a uniform surface”(Saey). The problem that occurred with this theory is that skin, scales and fur are not blank canvases. Turing came up with his theory before the modern era of molecular genetics. (Saey)
3. What Creates Color Zebrafish David Parichy, a developmental and evolutionary biologist at the University of Washington in Seattle, studied zebrafish and the way they form the different color stripes on their bodies. “… Parichy found that delaying the development of yellow pigment cells as fish transitioned from larvae to adults could cause their tail stripes to switch from horizontal to vertical”(Saey). There a factor that is unknown that researchers are investigating now, it must orient pigment cells in a certain direction, once the cells start migrating there is something that informs the cell where to settle down.(Saey) Parichy knows of a protein that is involved in making fish patterns that is called basonuclin-2. This helps the pigment cells stay healthy for stripes to form. The types of fish that don’t have stripes lack this protein, researchers reported last year in PLoS Genetics. (Saey)
4. What Creates Color? Genetic make up is a big part of what gives fish color but light reflection plays a role as well. Most fish species with a silverish color depend on light reflection.(Butler) When light enters water, it quickly decreases and it’s color changes, this is called Attenuation. The scattering of light in water is similar how smoke and fog acts within the atmosphere(Ross). Light can be converted into heat or used in a chemical reaction, which are forms of light absorption. The amount of absorption differ in different wavelengths of light causing different colors to be absorbed differently. The reds and oranges have longer wave lengths, they are absorbed very quickly and can enter water at shallower depths then blues. (Ross)
5. Benefits for Diversity in Color The different colors within fish are crucial to keep the population going. Some fish use other fishes color as a factor within choosing a mate. “With guppies, the female mate choice appears to favor in the evolution of conspicuous color patterns in male guppies”(Houde). “Within some guppy populations, females discriminate among males based on variation in the extent of orange pigment in male color patterns…”(Houde) “Just as there could be selection against mating with the wrong species, there can also be selection against fighting with the wrong species”(Wolpert).
6. Benefits for Diversity in Color Color also helps as a defense mechanism. Blending in with the environment is a great way fish survive. “The cost of attacking the wrong type of male and of being attacked by the wrong type of male favors the rich diversity of coloration…”(Wolpert) It is assumed that bright bold colors on fish draw attention to them and make it hard to hide. When actually some scientist suggested that the bright colors can send out warning messages to a predator. Gives a message along the lines of Eat at your own risk. (Milius)
7. Benefits for Diversity in Color It is also believed that fish can communicate based on color. Konrad Lorenz, an Austrian animal behaviorist, proposed the idea that fish colors can act as a coding that lets the abundant fish species keep track of who’s who.(Milius) “People may not appreciate the difficulty of identifying species mates because we’re not living among a hundred other hominids”(Milius). N. Justin Marshall, of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia is investigating the idea of a reef version of international signs for rest stops. He noticed several species of creatures that eat parasites off other fish. They share a shade of blue that my give off a message to stop there.(Milius)
8. Can Color Change? The color of fish can change depending on certain factors. One factor is the health of the fish. “Healthy fish are most likely always more colorful than unhealthy ones”(Butler). “Some species are able to alter their coloration, while some fish assume different coloration at night”(Butler) For fish to stay in top color form they need the right water conditions as well as the right diet. With fresh water and salt water and the different climates and water temperatures it can cause fish to become ill or even a fatal result. Also if kept in a tank, it needs to have compatible tank mates(Butler) As fish get older the colors also can change. “Out of 35 young [kio] fish, on has lost it’s red color.” While bring the fish from a mud pond in November it was noticed the reds turned more to orange. Therefore temperature change seems to produce a change. www.countrysidekio.com
9. Fish and Vision Most fish have evolved an amazing sense of smell which is actually extremely better then humans But the water creates complications for fish when it comes to vision and color.(Ross) What fish see exactly isn’t completely clear, scientist are not sure what images reach the brain. But scientist have discovered that fish can see colors that we do not, including ultraviolet colors. Usually the research on fish vision is done by physical or chemical examination of different parts of the eye.(Ross) One finding that is still being studied is that some fish favor specific color, this is why some fishermen insist on using certain colored lures.(Ross)
10. Fishermen Opinions The attraction of a fly(lure) is caused by many different things, such as motion, shape and color. Because fish have a great sense of smell this plays a role in the water as well. When deciding on a fly consider what the color of the fly will look like in the depth of the water. Also when fish feed they are looking up toward the surface, based the fly off of contrast rather then specific colors. (Ross)
11. Different Animals Color Diversity Fruit Fly: Researchers began to study a species known as Drosophila guttifera, it is a type of fruit fly. They have 16 black spots and four gray shadows on each wing. The shadows form between the veins on the wings while the black spots develop where ever veins cross within the wings. (Saey) “Molecular detective work revealed that a protein called Wingless helps draw spots”(Saey).
12. Different Animals Color Diversity Animals such as tigers and zebras do not seem to have control over where their spots and stripes end up. With animals like these the patterns can be slightly different on each side. (Ross) “Clues suggest that pigment cells, which are born in one part of the body and migrate to their eventual location on the skin, assemble themselves into patterns according to a Turing- like mechanism”(Ross).
13. Work Cited Information: Butler, Rhett. "Fish Anatomy." Tropical Freshwater Aquarium Fish. 1995. Web. 10 Oct.2010. http://fish.mongabay.com/anatomy.htm "Color in Koi Fish." Countrysidekoi. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. http://www.countrysidekoi.com/articles/color.htm. Fujii, Ryozo, Ronald R, Novales "Cellular Aspects of the Control of Physiological Color Changes in Fishes" Oxford Journals Life Sciences Integrative and Comparative Biology. 1996. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. http://icb.oxfordjournals.org/content/9/2/453.abstract. Houde, Anne, John Endler. "Correlated Evolution of Female Mating Preferences and Male Color Patterns in the Guppy PoeciliaReticulata 248 (4961): 1405 Scientific Research, News and Career Information. 15 June 1990. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/sci;248/4961/1405. Milius, Susan. "Hide and See: Conflicting Views of Reef fish Colors Science News News Articles, Magazine Back Issues & Reference Articles on All Topics. Science News, 06 Nov. 2004. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1200/is_19_166/ai_n7072744/. Ross, David A. "Fly Fishing Science, Fish Eyesight - MidCurrent." Fly Fishing, Fly-Fishing Gear, Tips and News - MidCurrent. 2005-2006. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/science/ross_color.aspx. Saey, Tina H. “All patterns great and small” Science News (17, July 2010): 28-29 http://www.sciencenews.org Wolpert, Stuart. "Why Do Animals, Especially Males, Have so Many Different Colors? / UCLA Newsroom." Home Page. 30 Oct. 2009. Web. 12 Oct. 2010 . http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/why-do-animals-especially-males-111815.aspx. Yoshioka, Shinya. "Mechanism of the Tunable Structural Color of Neon Tetra." Home Page. 15 Mar. 2010. Web. 12 Oct. 2010. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010APS..MAR.V4004Y.
14. Work Cited Photographs: Catfield. “Kio fish at a Japanese Steak House, on my Birthday.” 20 July 2007. <http://media.photobucket.com/image/kio%20fish/catfield/100_1276.jpg?o=23 > 27 Nov. 2010 Crzyballer15000. “Smoke.” 16 Oct 2006. <http://media.photobucket.com/image/smoke/crzyballer15000/Smoke.jpg?o=75> 2 Dec. 2010 Fiend1987. “Lures.” 21 Feb. 2007. <http://media.photobucket.com/image/lures/fiend1987/lures.jpg?o=8> 28 Nov. 2010 Hot69_Flashback. “Tigers.” <http://media.photobucket.com/image/tigers/Hot69_Flashback/Tigers.jpg?o=1> 2 Dec. 2010 Wirewheely. “Koi and Gold Fish Oil $.” <http://media.photobucket.com/image/fish%20paintings/wirewheely/Oil%20Paintings/fish-2-done.jpg?o=30> 2 Dec. 2010 Undertoe16. “Guppy.” <http://media.photobucket.com/image/guppies/undertoe16/guppies.jpg?o=43> 28 Nov. 2010 Utrebo. “Zebrafish.” <http://media.photobucket.com/image/zebrafish/utrebo/nature/zebrafish.jpg?o=2 >1 Dec. 2010
