Given the recent discussion on Birding-Aus about albinism/schizochroism, I'm
forwarding this topical post from Ornith-L.
Cheers, Lawrie
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 14:56:25 -0600
> From: Jocelyn Hudon <>
> Subject: Re: Stresemann on schizochroism
>
> Mr. Hess,
>
> Stresemann was a keen student of avian coloration and published several
> contributions on color aberrations (mutations) in birds. He coined the
> word
> schizochroism to refer to situations where only some of the pigments
> lacked or
> were altered, for example when as a result of a loss of melanins,
> carotenoids
> are the only pigments seen in the plumage. In this respect the
> nomenclature of
> color aberrations in birds differs somewhat from that in mammals, and is
> more
> confusing than it should be. It emphasizes what remains and not what is
> missing, which I think is unfortunate as it diverts from what is causing
> the
> color change in the first place. As a result, an owl lacking melanins
> will be
> called an albino (since they don't display carotenoids), whereas a
> woodpeckers
> lacking melanins will be schizochroic.
>
> Jocelyn Hudon, Ph.D.
> Provincial Museum of Alberta
>
> ***************************************************
>
|
