Tereza Valchářová

• Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Parasites can change the behaviour of their hosts, but little attention has been given to the relationship between parasite effects on host behaviour and colouration. The correlation between disrupted melanin production and alterations in various physiological and behavioural traits, e.g., aggression, shoaling behaviour, stress responsiveness and s...

Animal welfare science recognizes fish as sentient beings capable of experiencing pain, stress, and various emotions. As social interactions and mutual relationships are essential for fish welfare, the social environment in aquacultures is important for fish welfare. Pigmentation influences fish social behavior, e.g., communication and/or shoaling...

In laboratory experiments, variously colored strains of animals, including those with albino phenotypes, are commonly used. The melanocortin theory suggests, however, that coloration phenotypes alter animal physiology and behavior. Animals with the albino phenotype show photoreceptor degradation associated with lowered visual accuracy, escape react...

Oculocutaneous albinism is the result of a combination of homozygous recessive mutations that block the synthesis of the tyrosine and melatonin hormones. This disability is associated with physiological limitations, e.g., visual impairment expressed by lower visual acuity and movement perception, and eventually leads to acrophobia and/or photophobi...

Hormonal changes such as increased cortisol level in blood plasma in response to stress and social environmental stimuli are common among vertebrates including humans and typically accompanied by other physiological processes, such as changes in body pigmentation and/or pupil dilatation. The role of pupil size variation (PSV) as a response to stres...