Electronmicroscopic studies on the skin pigmentation of the red bellied toad Bombina bombina (L.)

: The various colours of the red-bellied toad Bombina bombina are caused by 3 types of chromatophores, the red xanthophores, the white iridophores and the black melanophores. In the brownish skin and in the black spots of the dorsal region all types of chromatophores are found. But in the epidermis of the black spots there are more grana of melanin than in the other region of the back. The 3 types of chromatophores are not present in the skin of all parts of the body. The dark blue colour of the belly is caused only by melanophores, whereas in the ventral parts with light blue colour there occur melanophores and iridophores. The white spots of the belly contain only iridophores, the red spots have iridophores and xanthophores.