Date of Award

8-1975

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Biology

Abstract

Examination was made of the melanophores of three Lepisosteus osseus (longnose gar), one dark, one intermediate, and one normal in pigmentation. Melanophore counts were made per mm2 from anterior, mid, and posterior areas of both the dorsal and ventral surfaces of each of the three fish. The data were tested with a four-factor analysis of variance. By microscopic examination the melanophores were classified as to branching in the sample areas. Neither number of melanophores nor degree of branching explained divergence in pigmentation. However, divergence was attributed to the melanosome color and concentration in the melanophores.

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Biology Commons

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