Ultrastructural features of skin pigmentation in the lizardHeloderma suspectumwith emphasis on xanto-melanophores

Abstract

The morphological origin of the dark and pink-orange areas in the skin of the venomous lizard Heloderma suspectum is not known. Histology and electron microscopy show that dark-grey areas of the skin derived from dermal chromatophores localized in specific areas present underneath the epidermis. A dynamic chromatophoric unit in the dermis is absent. In the darkest areas of the skin, the accumulation of melanosomes in cells of the beta-layer contributes to increase the black intensity. In the orange-pink areas, the superficial dermis contains xantophores storing numerous carotenoid vesicles, rare or absent lamellated pterinosomes and a variable number of melanosomes. These xanto-melanophores predominate over the remaining chromatophores and form a continuous stratum underneath the epidermis. Beneath this lipoid-rich stratum, iridophores are infrequent and do not form a continuous layer in the dermis. In the paler areas of the skin, melanophores are sparse in both superficial and deeper part of the dermis where irregularly oriented bundles of collagen fibrils are present. The prevalent xanto-melanophores localized in the pink-orange areas of the skin contribute to an effective sunlight protection in desert conditions in addition to the darker regions occupied by melanophores.