Bare skin, blood and the evolution of primate colour vision

2006/02/07 by Mark A. Changizi, Qiong Zhang, Shinsuke Shimojo · 1 voice
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Neuroscience · #Artificial intelligence #Biology #Color vision #Colour Vision #Ecology #Evolutionary biology #Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies #Optics #Primate #Reflectivity #Trichromacy #Visual perception and processing mechanisms #Zoology #melanin and skin pigmentation

paper · doi:10.1098/rsbl.2006.0440

openalex publication_date 2006/02/07 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

We investigate the hypothesis that colour vision in primates was selected for discriminating the spectral modulations on the skin of conspecifics, presumably for the purpose of discriminating emotional states, socio-sexual signals and threat displays. Here we show that, consistent with this hypothesis, there are two dimensions of skin spectral modulations, and trichromats but not dichromats are sensitive to each. Furthermore, the M and L cone maximum sensitivities for routine trichromats are optimized for discriminating variations in blood oxygen saturation, one of the two blood-related dimensions determining skin reflectance. We also show that, consistent with the hypothesis, trichromat primates tend to be bare faced.

Citations

• Evolution and selection of trichromatic vision in primates
• Why do veins appear blue? A new look at an old question
• Colour vision as an adaptation to frugivory in primates
• Trans‐specific evolution of opsin alleles and the maintenance of trichromatic colour vision in Callitrichine primates
• Relaxed selective pressure on an essential component of pheromone transduction in primate evolution
• Evolutionary deterioration of the vomeronasal pheromone transduction pathway in catarrhine primates

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