Sep 1, 2023 - News

Critter Corner: How hogfish choose their color

Hogfish change to a reddish brown color. Photo: Wild Horizons/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Hogfish, which are common off the coast of Florida, change color to hide from predators.

What's happening: Florida International University (FIU) marine scientist Heather Bracken-Grissom contributed to a study about how they do it, published last week in Nature Communications journal.

Details: Inside certain hogfish cells, pigments either spread out or cluster together to make the fish appear dark or light, per an FIU publication.

  • Beneath every color-changing cell in the hogfish is a corresponding photoreceptor providing feedback to make sure the fish changes to the correct color.
avatar

Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Miami.

🌱

Support local journalism by becoming a member.

Learn more

More Miami stories

No stories could be found

Miamipostcard

Get a free daily digest of the most important news in your backyard with Axios Miami.

🌱

Support local journalism by becoming a member.

Learn more