Publications by authors named "Nilakshi Debnath"
The eye, the pineal complex and the skin are important photosensitive organs. The African clawed frog, , senses light from the environment and adjusts skin color accordingly. For example, light reflected from the surface induces camouflage through background adaptation while light from above produces circadian variation in skin pigmentation.
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- Xenopus laevis tadpoles use crypsis to evade predators through two key processes: adjusting skin color to match their environment (background adaptation) and choosing to stay near surfaces that match their color (background preference).
- The study found that these two processes operate independently; the preference for a background color doesn’t correlate with skin pigmentation levels.
- Different types of retinal photosensors are involved; specifically, melanopsin influences background adaptation, while pinopsin is linked to background preference, with their expression patterns changing as the tadpoles develop.