Purple Beasts
September 8th 2008 01:10
Purple Beasts
I was going to shut this experimental blog down but I'll keep it running a bit longer since I've had a couple more ideas for posts.
Why are so few animals purple?
And most of them are not mammals?
Chemistry! Pigment in most animals derives from melanin or iron compounds like the rare haemocyanin or carotenoproteins or rhodospin which comes from vitamin A which ia a carotenoid derivative or porphyrins like carbon rings like the anthocyanins of plants.
"Tyrian Purple" isnt even purple unless its treated.
Another cause for puprlish coloration is Tyndall Blue caused by light scattering thru a top layer and then bouncing off a lower layer of melanin.
So be glad you're dully brown due to melanin. A preponderance or lack of other colors indicates you may have medical problems.
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