Vertebrate pigment patterns are diverse and fascinating adult traits that allow animals to
recognize conspecifics, attract mates, and avoid predators. Pigment patterns in fish are
among the most amenable traits for studying the cellular basis of adult form, as the cells that
produce diverse patterns are readily visible in the skin during development. The genetic
basis of pigment pattern development has been most studied in the zebrafish, Danio rerio.
Zebrafish adults have alternating dark and light horizontal stripes, resulting from the precise …