Maria McNamara on Seeing the Ancient World in Color

Glossary

carotenoid pigments - a group of about 850 natural tetraterpene pigments found in plants and animals

crinoids - marine animals typically attached to the sea bottom by a stalk

hand specimens - specimens of a size that can be handled and inspected with the naked eye

iridophores - chromatophores that reflect light using plates of crystalline chemochromes made from guanine and appear as iridescent colors because of the constructive interference of light

melanin - a dark pigment found in skin, hair, feathers, scales, eyes, and some internal membranes of many animals. A metabolic product of tyrosine

melanosomes - melanin microstructures of shapes such as spheres, discs, and cylinders

porphyrins - a group of blue-green pigments resulting from the breakdown of haem, and known as "bile pigments"

pterin - a group of heterocyclic compounds often providing yellow, green, or orange pigments in animals

psittacofulvins - pigments responsible for the bright-red, orange, and yellow colors in bird feathers, specifically in parrots

quinones - ubiquitous class of biological pigments found in living organisms derived from aromatic compounds

spiral boring pigments - color found in corkscrew boring patterns left by organisms

xanthophores - a class of chromatophores that contain pteridine pigments and can make yellows, oranges, and reds