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Are zebras white with black stripes or black with white stripes?
Live Science ^ | 11/21/2021 | By Jennifer Welsh

Posted on 11/21/2021 11:15:41 AM PST by BenLurkin

The stunning black-and-white coloration of the zebra's hide stands out in stark contrast with the dry, brown-and-green, treeless grasslands and savannah woodlands of their home territories of East and southern Africa, according to the African Wildlife Foundation.

These stripes are unique to each individual. There are three zebra species living today — the plains zebra (Equus quagga), the mountain zebra (E. zebra) and the Grevy's zebra (E. grevyi) — and each of those species has a different striping pattern, too. For some, the darker portions of their hide are black, whereas others have browner coloring, and some have stripes only on their bodies but not on their legs.

Although zebras have black skin, different developmental processes determine their fur color, just like a light-skinned person can have dark hair, Caro said. In fact, zebras actually have more light-colored hair than dark — their bellies are usually light — so it may seem that zebras are white with black stripes.

But that's not the case. Here's why: Every piece of hair — both light and dark — grows from a follicle filled with melanocyte cells, according to a 2005 review in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. These cells produce a pigment that determines the color of hair and skin. This pigment is known as melanin; a lot of melanin leads to darker colors, like dark brown or black, while less melanin leads to lighter colors, such as hazel or blond, Live Science previously reported. Zebras' black fur is chock-full of melanin, but melanin is absent from white fur, in essence, because the follicles that make up the stripes of white hair have "turned off" melanocytes, meaning they don't churn out pigment.

(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: zebras
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To: dayglored

The exact same concept was used during WWI for ship camouflage. Confuse the eye of the predator humans have eyes of predators being in the front of our heads with binocular vision just like every other predator.

https://www.history.com/.amp/news/dazzle-camouflage-world-war-1


81 posted on 11/21/2021 7:20:52 PM PST by JD_UTDallas ("Veni Vidi Vici" )
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To: rlmorel

hey...

you are right. Nice photoshop.


82 posted on 11/21/2021 8:19:48 PM PST by Redcitizen
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

That is funny!! haha!


83 posted on 11/21/2021 8:22:00 PM PST by Redcitizen
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To: BDParrish

Makes sense.


84 posted on 11/21/2021 9:00:20 PM PST by Mr. Blond
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To: Obadiah

I have often thought I might enjoy World of Warships...I even downloaded it once, but...just never seem to find the time!

Glad you enjoyed it!


85 posted on 11/22/2021 4:03:03 AM PST by rlmorel (If the Biden Administration was only stupid or incompetent, some actions would benefit the USA.)
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To: Redcitizen

IIRC, that is the Type 32 frigate...I didn’t find it to be an attractive design physically, but...a little change in the paint job sure made it look more fierce...:)


86 posted on 11/22/2021 4:06:18 AM PST by rlmorel (If the Biden Administration was only stupid or incompetent, some actions would benefit the USA.)
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To: Covenantor

I’ve been to Savanah before and have never seen a Zebra there.


87 posted on 11/22/2021 5:24:33 AM PST by BubbaBasher ("Liberty will not long survive the total extinction of morals" - Sam Adams)
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To: Axenolith

Wow. That’s bad.


88 posted on 11/22/2021 12:33:15 PM PST by Nuc 1.1 (Liberals aren't Patriots. Remember 1789!)
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To: Steely Tom

Eddy are kidding me?


89 posted on 11/22/2021 12:39:32 PM PST by .44 Special (Taimid Buacharch)
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To: Steely Tom

Eddy are kidding me?


90 posted on 11/22/2021 12:53:01 PM PST by .44 Special (Taimid Buacharch )
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To: Covenantor

Doesn’t look like blending with the local environment....looks pretty darn bold to me.
_______________________________
I’ve read it developed to outwit some sort of fly/mosquito/other insect that afflicts them


91 posted on 11/22/2021 3:33:26 PM PST by reformedliberal (Make yourself less available.)
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