Re: pigment stability

[swf@elsegundoca.ncr.com (Stan Friesen)]

From: "A. H. Brush" <BRUSH@UConnVM.UConn.Edu>

 > Ray McAllister posted a question regarding the stability of
 > integumentary colors. Carotenoids, of course, are not very stable (as
 > are most other highly unsaturated molecules. Feather caroteonids, for
 > example, can be destroyed by exposure to sunlight (even in the dry
 > feather). Melanins, a very common pigment also fades or abrades. This
 > has been sstudied in birds but not to my knowledge in reptiles.

In fact this is a significant problem with museum specimens of birds.
Several bird species have been misidentified, and new one erroneously
described because the type specimen had faded.  [This is, actually,
why the matter has been studied so much].

swf@elsegundoca.ncr.com         sarima@ix.netcom.com

The peace of God be with you.