Fish Coloration Terms & Definitions

[Oddball]

This is off the top of my head. Please let me know what I've missed.

Albino: Lacking pigment.

Amelanistic: lacking melanin (black pigment).

Aposematic: Warning coloration.

Chromophores: Cells responsible for holding pigment.
Xanthophores: produce yellow pigment.
Erythrophores: produce red pigment.
Melanophores: produce black pigment (melanin).
Iridophores: Hold no color pigment but, hold highly reflective non-motile purine crystals that yield silver irridescent reflections.
Leucophores: Hold no color pigment. Motile purine crystals produce white pigment.
Cyanophores: produce blue pigment.

Erythristic: Predominantly red morph.

Flavistic: Sepia-toned background color.

Leucistic: lacking or mostly lacking chromatophores. Not a true albino (ie: colored eyes).

Melanistic: dark or near black (some markings can still be visible).

Piebald: Having patches of white.

Polymorphic: Having a natural variation within a single species. (eg: blue motoro ray is a polymorph of the standard non-blue motoro ray)

Tyrosinase-Negative Albinism: An albino whose cells lack tyrosinase (enzyme that synthesizes melanin) yielding a pale-white to creamy animal with pink eyes.

Tyrosinase-Positive Albinism: Synthesizes tyrosinase but, not melanin yielding a fawn or lavender (platinum) color.

Xanthic: Predominantly yellow color morph.

 

[andrejnr]

Leucistic: lacking or mostly lacking chromatophores. Not a true albino (ie: colored eyes).

Correct please if I'm rong but isn't the term "Lupino" the same as the aforementioned? For example an allmost Albino Oscar but with black eyes nsted of red (where for the lack of pigment you can see the retina)

 

[Oddball]

Leucistic: lacking or mostly lacking chromatophores. Not a true albino (ie: colored eyes).

Correct please if I'm rong but isn't the term "Lupino" the same as the aforementioned? For example an allmost Albino Oscar but with black eyes nsted of red (where for the lack of pigment you can see the retina)

Lupino is a trade-term and not an actual coloration-related word in the english dictionary.

 

[Oddball]

 

[wednesday13]

Not sure if this is the correct scientific term or not... Common in oscars. i.e. albino with red eyes, but exhibits black pigment aswell. What catagory would this specimen fall under Oddball ?

 

[Thyroyalgeek]

Your a genius oddball.

 

[Fishflyer]

Leucistic: lacking or mostly lacking chromatophores. Not a true albino (ie: colored eyes).

Correct please if I'm rong but isn't the term "Lupino" the same as the aforementioned? For example an allmost Albino Oscar but with black eyes nsted of red (where for the lack of pigment you can see the retina)

I think you might mean " Lutino". This refers to Oscars with the coloration you mentioned. I have some Lutino birds that are almost all white or all yellow. Term coloration designation varies between fish and birds. I also have several aquariums, one with monster fish, that's why I'm a member of this great and informative forum.

"Lupino" or Lupine is a spiked upright flower of the pea genus. It has blue, purple, red, pink or white flowers ending in seed pods resembling peapods at the end of the season.

Can posts be made about fish other than monster fish? (I have Senegals, I think they qualify as monster fish, but do large angels?)

I assume monster fish encompass fish that have some of the following traits: ferocious, ancient, large, endearingly unsightly, exceedingly unusual. Anything else please?

 

[Mitchell The Monster]

what mutation would you label these redtails as?

 

[12 Volt Man]

Charlie is classic Leucistic

 

[Jexnell]

Casper my Leucistic Amphilophus Saggitae