Biomaterial Database

Effect of naphthalene on color changes of the sand fiddler crab, Uca pugilator. 1984

G C Staub, and M Fingerman

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, naphthalene, inhibited the melanin dispersion, which normally occurs in the fiddler crab, Uca pugilator, during the dark phase of its circadian rhythm of color change. Naphthalene produced this inhibition no matter whether the melanin was fully aggregated or more or less dispersed at the time of initial exposure. Inhibition of the circadian melanin dispersion does not appear to be due to a direct action of naphthalene on the melanophores. This inhibition was concentration-dependent with acute daily exposure. Naphthalene does not, however, inhibit melanin dispersion in response to a black background, indicating thereby that naphthalene-exposed crabs continue to synthesize melanin-dispersing hormone and norepinephrine.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008543	Melanins	Insoluble polymers of TYROSINE derivatives found in and causing darkness in skin (SKIN PIGMENTATION), hair, and feathers providing protection against SUNBURN induced by SUNLIGHT. CAROTENES contribute yellow and red coloration.	Allomelanins,Melanin,Phaeomelanins
D008547	Melanophores	Chromatophores (large pigment cells of fish, amphibia, reptiles and many invertebrates) which contain melanin. Short term color changes are brought about by an active redistribution of the melanophores pigment containing organelles (MELANOSOMES). Mammals do not have melanophores; however they have retained smaller pigment cells known as MELANOCYTES.	Melanophore
D009281	Naphthalenes	Two-ring crystalline hydrocarbons isolated from coal tar. They are used as intermediates in chemical synthesis, as insect repellents, fungicides, lubricants, preservatives, and, formerly, as topical antiseptics.
D010858	Pigmentation	Coloration or discoloration of a part by a pigment.	Pigmentations
D002940	Circadian Rhythm	The regular recurrence, in cycles of about 24 hours, of biological processes or activities, such as sensitivity to drugs or environmental and physiological stimuli.	Diurnal Rhythm,Nyctohemeral Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythm,Nycthemeral Rhythm,Circadian Rhythms,Diurnal Rhythms,Nycthemeral Rhythms,Nyctohemeral Rhythms,Rhythm, Circadian,Rhythm, Diurnal,Rhythm, Nycthemeral,Rhythm, Nyctohemeral,Rhythm, Twenty-Four Hour,Rhythms, Circadian,Rhythms, Diurnal,Rhythms, Nycthemeral,Rhythms, Nyctohemeral,Rhythms, Twenty-Four Hour,Twenty Four Hour Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythms
D003386	Brachyura	An infraorder of chiefly marine, largely carnivorous CRUSTACEA, in the order DECAPODA, including the genera Cancer, Uca, and Callinectes.	Blue Crab,Callinectes sapidus,Carcinus maenas,Crab, Blue,Crab, Common Shore,Crab, Green,Crabs, Short-Tailed,Crabs, True,Green Crab,Uca,Common Shore Crab,European Shore Crab,Blue Crabs,Brachyuras,Carcinus maena,Common Shore Crabs,Crab, European Shore,Crab, Short-Tailed,Crab, True,Crabs, Blue,Crabs, Common Shore,Crabs, Green,Crabs, Short Tailed,Green Crabs,Shore Crab, Common,Shore Crab, European,Shore Crabs, Common,Short-Tailed Crab,Short-Tailed Crabs,True Crab,True Crabs,Ucas,maenas, Carcinus
D003624	Darkness	The absence of light.	Darknesses
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012623	Seawater	The salinated water of OCEANS AND SEAS that provides habitat for marine organisms.	Sea Water,Sea Waters,Seawaters,Water, Sea,Waters, Sea