Colour of ancient sea creatures revealed

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Colour of ancient sea creatures revealed

The colour of sea creatures that lived millions of years ago has been revealed by scientists.

Research suggests that three reptiles found in the ancient oceans were near-black.

The international team has found melanin - the light-absorbing pigment that is responsible for colour - preserved in the animals' fossilised skin.

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[Taun]

I wonder how deep the waters were and how clear... If deep or 'murky' the black skin could have been a good camoflauge...

[ancient astronaut]

Whatever color they wanted to be.

[Sundew]

""If you look at leatherhead sea turtles today, they have very dark skin with huge amounts of pigment," said Dr Lindgren."

You would think a doctor that studies marine animals would know it's a Leatherback Turtle. They are quite dark and are often found in cooler temperate waters where dark coloration can help them absorb heat at the surface. The more tropical marine turtles can be more colorful and not nearly so dark and drab.

The coloration is not really so surprising, many large modern marine predators like sharks, dolphins, rays, and bill fishes are usually rather dark: blacks, browns, dark grays or deep blues, with occasional disruptive coloration like the bright banding on sailfish and the white on black of orcas.

[danielost]

The deep sea fishes of today are mostly red, because red light foes not penetrate that deep.

[danielost]

Suffice animals are usually dark on top and light on bottom, got cammoflsuge

[Sundew]

The deep sea fishes of today are mostly red, because red light foes not penetrate that deep.

That depends to some extent on the depth, red colored animals are usually found at depths were at least some light penetrates. Since red light is absorbed quickly at shallow depths, the animals appear black. If you get into depths where no light at all penetrates the animals are often actually black.