Erythrism

Erythrism or erythrochroism refers to an unusual reddish pigmentation of an animal's hair, skin, feathers, or eggshells.[1]

A erythristic Welsh polecat

Causes of erythrism include:

  • Genetic mutations which cause an absence of a normal pigment and/or excessive production of others[2]
  • Diet, as in bees feeding on "bright red (colored) corn syrup" used in maraschino cherry manufacturing[3]

Erythrism in katydids has been occasionally observed. The coloring might be a camouflage that helps some members of the species survive on red plants.[4] 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.[5] Erythrism in leopards is rare, but one study[6] reported that two of 28 camera trapped leopards in a nature reserve in South Africa were erythristic, and the authors found records of five other 'strawberry' leopards from the region.[7]

  • Erythrism in katydids

See also

References
  1. Dariusz Bukaciński and Monika Bukacińska (1997), "Production of Erythristic Eggs by the Black-Headed Gull in Poland", Wilson Bull., Wilson Ornithological Society, 109 (1): 177–182, JSTOR 4163790
  2. Helen Hays and Kenneth C. Parkes (1993), "Erythristic Eggs in the Common Tern", J. Field Ornithol., Association of Field Ornithologists, 64 (3): 341–345, JSTOR 4513830
  3. Sarah Schmidt, Helping Brooklyn's Red Stingers Get Off The Juice, onearth.org, December 1, 2010
  4. Gary Noel Ross (1 June 2003), "Pretty in pink", Natural History
  5. Stone, Daniel (March 2013). Easier Being Green. National Geographic. p. 19.
  6. Pirie, Tara J.; Thomas, Rebecca L.; Fellowes, Mark D. E. (2016-05-20). "Erythristic leopards Panthera pardus in South Africa". Bothalia. 46 (1): 5. doi:10.4102/abc.v46i1.2034. ISSN 2311-9284.
  7. "Ultra-rare 'strawberry' leopards discovered in South Africa (PHOTOS) | Conservation | Earth Touch News". Earth Touch News Network. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
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