Mechanisms of colour production and the evolution of animal signals

该项目旨在揭示爬行动物如何产生不同的颜色，以及这些颜色传达的有关个人健康，状况和表现的信息。该项目评估了压力如何影响色素沉积以及细胞和组织的纳米结构，它们共同产生颜色。通过比较两种完全不同的色素（类胡萝卜素和蝶啶）产生的相似颜色，该项目将为动物着色的进化提供新的见解，并将显着提高我们对蝶啶的理解，蝶啶是脊椎动物中最普遍但最不了解的色素之一。

This project aims to reveal how diverse colours are produced in reptiles and the information these colours convey about individual health, condition and performance. The project evaluates how stress affects both pigment deposition and the nano-structure of cells and tissues, which together produce colour. By comparing similar colours generated by two entirely different classes of pigment (carotenoids and pteridines), this project will provide new insights into the evolution of animal coloration, and will significantly enhance our understanding of pteridines, one of the most prevalent but least understood classes of pigment in vertebrates.