Pigmentation pattern formation on snakes

Abstract

We consider a cell-chemotaxis model mechanism for generating some of the common, simple and complex, patterns found on the skin of snakes. By investigating the pattern generation potential of the model we show that many of the more complex patterns might result from growth of the integument during the pattern formation process. We suggest that many of the diverse elaborate patterns on snakes, and other species, can be generated by a single mechanism if the time scale of the pattern process is commensurate with the time scale associated with significant embryonic growth.