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Glite Dictionary
melanophore

melanophore

1 9.9
A skin cell that has dark color and makes the animal change color
  • noun
  • /ˌmɛləˈnɔfɔr/
  • Specialized
: melanóforo
  • The color of the fish changes when its melanophores expand or contract.

Examples

  • Many fish have melanophores that aid in camouflage.

  • The melanophore in the octopus helps it change color.

  • Scientists studied the melanophore to understand how reptiles adapt their skin color.

  • A sudden change in temperature can trigger the melanophore to release more pigment.

  • The color of the fish changes when its melanophores expand or contract.

  • Many fish have melanophores that aid in camouflage against predators.

  • The melanophore allows the octopus to blend seamlessly into its surroundings.

Surface Forms

melanophore singular
melanophores plural

Morphology

melanophore = melano + phore

A technical biological term composed of Greek combining forms ('melano-' meaning dark and '-phore' meaning bearer) that are not standalone English words and are unlikely to be interpretable by an average learner.

Etymology

Melanophore comes from two Greek parts: melano- meaning 'black', as in melanin, and -phore meaning 'bearer' or 'carrier'. So, a melanophore is a 'black bearer', a skin cell that carries dark pigment and so controls an animal's color or its color changes.