Pigmentation Pigmentation &&AdaptationAdaptation Behaviour of Animals:Behaviour of Animals:

Lower Vertebrates to HigherLower Vertebrates to Higher

Binumon T MBinumon T M

M. Phil l . M. Phil l . ZoologyZoology

Dept. Of ZoologyDept. Of Zoology

Animal AdaptationsAnimal AdaptationsAnything that helps an organism survive Anything that helps an organism survive

in its environment is an adaptation.in its environment is an adaptation.It also refers to the ability of living It also refers to the ability of living

things to adjust to different conditions things to adjust to different conditions within their environments.within their environments.

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 and including walking, swimming, climbing and hoppinghopping

MigrationMigrationCamouflage for avoiding a predatorCamouflage for avoiding a predator

Adaptations for…..Adaptations for…..

Hibernation avoid unpleasant climateHibernation avoid unpleasant climate

Ability to conserve fat and water in the Ability to conserve fat and water in the body overcome harsh environment body overcome harsh environment

Try to appear larger in order to ward Try to appear larger in order to ward off predation e.g. puffer or balloon fishoff predation e.g. puffer or balloon fish

Habitat

Arboreal Arboreal l ifel ife

MigrationMigration

Camouflage

Hibernation

Food storage

Enlarging body

AdaptationsAdaptationsStructural AdaptationStructural Adaptation

Behavioral adaptationBehavioral adaptation

Structural AdaptationStructural AdaptationA body part that aids in survivalA body part that aids in survival

MimicryMimicry

Chemical defense Chemical defense

Body coverings & partsBody coverings & parts

CamouflageCamouflage

Behavioral adaptationBehavioral adaptationActivities that help an animal survivalActivities that help an animal survival

Behaviour adaptations can be learned or Behaviour adaptations can be learned or instinctiveinstinctive

Social behaviour  Social behaviour   Behaviour for protection Behaviour for protection

Social behaviourSocial behaviourA group of animal can defeats its A group of animal can defeats its

predator, E.g. African buffalo attack predator, E.g. African buffalo attack lionlion

MimicryMimicryAllows one animal to look, sound, or act Allows one animal to look, sound, or act

like another animal to fool predators into like 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)

Chemical defenseChemical defenseVenomous snakesVenomous snakes

Feathers, hairs, hard skin, horns and tusks, Webbed Feet, Sharp Claws, Sharp Teeths, Wings/Flying and Hooves

Body coverings & parts

CamouflageCamouflageColors and patterns of organisms match Colors and patterns of organisms match

the surrounds. This helps animals hide the surrounds. This helps animals hide from predatorsfrom predators

Different skin pigmentsMost common pigment in vertebrate is Most common pigment in vertebrate is

the the melaninmelanin. Gives black and agouti color. Gives black and agouti colorIn birds and mammals In birds and mammals orangeorange and and redred

color created by color created by carotenoidcarotenoid pigments, pigments, obtained from dietary source obtained from dietary source

In birds and mammals, In birds and mammals, blueblue colored skin colored skin is caused by thick arrays of collagen is caused by thick arrays of collagen fibers in the dermisfibers in the dermis

In poikilotherms, colors in the yellow to In poikilotherms, colors in the yellow to red range are produced by red range are produced by xanthophoresxanthophores and and erythrophoreserythrophores

Different skin pigmentsBlueBlue coloration in fish, amphibians and coloration in fish, amphibians and

reptiles is primarily due to the presence reptiles is primarily due to the presence of of iridophoresiridophores underlain by underlain by melanophoresmelanophores

IridophoresIridophores giving an iridescent shine giving an iridescent shine and leucophores appearing white or and leucophores appearing white or creamcream

GreenCombinations 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.

Physiological color changeTransitions between these colors are

made possible by a three dimensional arrangement of chromatophores known as a Dermal chromatophore unit

Physiological color changeShifts 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.

Biological moderators of color changeThe The MSH (melanocyte stimulating MSH (melanocyte stimulating

hormone) and MCH (melanin hormone) and MCH (melanin concentrating hormone)concentrating hormone)

Effect of MSH & MCH in animals

Physiological color change: Physiological color change: Short term Short term expression causes melanosomes to expression causes melanosomes to disperse (making the animal appear disperse (making the animal appear darker) or to aggregate (making the darker) or to aggregate (making the animal appear lighter)animal appear lighter)

Morphological color change: Morphological color change: Longer term Longer term expression of MSH and MCH causes expression of MSH and MCH causes alteration to the number of alteration to the number of melanophores to the permanent melanophores to the permanent coloration of animal.coloration of animal.

ConclusionConclusion

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

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