I don't know why, but cockroaches are so cool to me. I've not seen a lot of 'em in person, but they're just really neat. I'm sure I'd feel differently if I had 'em in my house, maybe, but they're interesting.
So, it molts and turns white? Or was it white to begin with? It looks like it was some kind of colorful color (brown). I know naught about cockroach molting habits.
They come out of they're exoskeletons and are white and soft. After an hour or two, they grow new dark exoskeletons (it looks like they're just getting darker). I'm not sure if the exoskeleton gets its strength from the pigment or what. The main thing is that the exoskeleton can't grow, so they shed it, grow a little bit (stored energy?) and develop a new exoskeleton.
To my knowledge, there is no such thing as an albino insect, so if someone says they saw one, they actually saw a freshly-molted insect. Our other captive insects (crickets and mealworms) do it too.
Going back to my Lobster/cockroach comparison, I'm sure you know that Albino Lobsters are blue...um, maybe. my attempts to find a picture of one turned up this FAQ from Woods Hole which credits the blue coloration to a genetic mutation, which I suppose could be a fancy way of saying albinism. I think there may still be one in the Boston Aquarium. here's the link to Woods Hole.
I'm working on this one. Albinism is a lack of the ability for melanocytes to produce melanin. I don't think insects and crustaceans have melanocytes. There is a pigment mutation that causes blue lobsters, and there are other color mutations too, including white.
Some enthusiasts have managed to produce these mutations in captive specimens. (don't be thrown by this article's misuse of the word "species" where they mean "breed" or "variety.")
Much searching for phrases like "albinism in animals" turned up no invertebrates--except for lobsters. The normal pigment in lobsters is dark green, not the brown color we associate with melanin. I think those instances that articles refer to "albino lobsters" they are using the term out of convenience. In other words there are lobsters that have a genetic mutation that results in lighter color, but not albino lobsters, technically. (What I mean is, albinism in birds, snakes, gorillas and humans is caused by the same genetic mutation, an alteration of a gene that lobsters--being far afield from those other animals, evolutionarily speaking--do not have.)
That's marginally helpful if insulting (and that's Professor Art-school Graduate, if you please, "Anonymous." Keep up) but if you had any helpful links you could supply, along with your credentials, you might actually succeed in educating, as well as insulting.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2005-06-06 10:40 pm (UTC)I'm sure I'd feel differently if I had 'em in my house, maybe, but they're interesting.
So, it molts and turns white? Or was it white to begin with? It looks like it was some kind of colorful color (brown). I know naught about cockroach molting habits.
Neat pictures, as always!
-Carrie.
Thanks! glad you like 'em
Date: 2005-06-07 01:17 pm (UTC)To my knowledge, there is no such thing as an albino insect, so if someone says they saw one, they actually saw a freshly-molted insect. Our other captive insects (crickets and mealworms) do it too.
Re: Thanks! glad you like 'em
Date: 2005-06-07 03:08 pm (UTC)http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://aquarium.nefsc.noaa.gov/FAQs/GeneralFAQ/images/bluelob2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://aquarium.nefsc.noaa.gov/FAQs/GeneralFAQ/&h=212&w=350&sz=27&tbnid=87UNhSdrsK8J:&tbnh=70&tbnw=116&hl=en&start=7&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dblue%2Blobster%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DN
"Professor Art-school dropout" teaches his albinism class
Date: 2005-06-07 03:48 pm (UTC)Some enthusiasts have managed to produce these mutations in captive specimens. (don't be thrown by this article's misuse of the word "species" where they mean "breed" or "variety.")
Much searching for phrases like "albinism in animals" turned up no invertebrates--except for lobsters. The normal pigment in lobsters is dark green, not the brown color we associate with melanin. I think those instances that articles refer to "albino lobsters" they are using the term out of convenience. In other words there are lobsters that have a genetic mutation that results in lighter color, but not albino lobsters, technically. (What I mean is, albinism in birds, snakes, gorillas and humans is caused by the same genetic mutation, an alteration of a gene that lobsters--being far afield from those other animals, evolutionarily speaking--do not have.)
Whew.
Know what I mean?
Re: "Professor Art-school dropout" teaches his albinism class
Date: 2006-08-18 11:52 am (UTC)melanin is not produced only in melanocytes. others animals (insects) do produce melanin, and have mutants unable to do so.
Re: "Professor Art-school dropout" teaches his albinism class
Date: 2006-08-18 12:33 pm (UTC)Re: Thanks! glad you like 'em
Date: 2005-06-07 10:32 pm (UTC)Yeah, I read below, that's very interesting, That sounds like my fact for today. Well, one of 'em.
Thank you!
-Carrie.