Erythrism
Erythrism or erythrochroism refers to an unusual reddish pigmentation of an animal's fur, hair, skin, feathers, or eggshells.
Causes of erythrism include
genetic mutations which cause an absence of a normal pigment and/or excessive production of others
diet, as in bees feeding on "bright red (colored) corn syrup" used in maraschino cherry manufacturing
Erythrism in katydids has been occasionally observed. The coloring might be a camouflage that helps some members of the species survive on red plants. There is also consensus that the erythristic mutation is actually a dominant trait among katydid species, albeit a disadvantageous one, due to the overwhelmingly green coloration of most foliage. Hence, most pink or otherwise vividly colored katydids do not survive to adulthood, and this observation explains their rarity.
Gallery
Erythrism in katydids
See also
Albinism
Amelanism
Dyschromia
Heterochromia iridum
Leucism
Melanism
Piebaldism
Vitiligo
Xanthochromism
Red hair
References