Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Pink dolphin: (Original Post) tblue37 Jan 2023 OP
How about that. Very cool judesedit Jan 2023 #1
I just read dolphins are color blind. GreenWave Jan 2023 #2
Such amazing animals wendyb-NC Jan 2023 #3
How does that happen? Bayard Jan 2023 #4
Most likely, a form of albinism ... eppur_se_muova Jan 2023 #5
Could be an Amazon River Dolphin, Rincewind Jan 2023 #6

GreenWave

(6,773 posts)
2. I just read dolphins are color blind.
Wed Jan 4, 2023, 10:12 PM
Jan 2023
To able to see colors, the retina must have at least 2 different kinds of cones, with different sensitivities. Most mammals have 2 types of cones: L-cones (sensitive to long-wavelength light, red to green) and S-cones (sensitive to short-wavelength light, blue to violet or near UV). Humans and some other primates have 3 types of cones, giving them a better color vision. Only a few land mammals have only one type of cone, which means they are colorblind. All these land mammals are essentially nocturnal animals. Whales and dolphins (as well as seals and sea lions) have only one type of cone: the L-cones. Although these cones are more sensitive for short-wavelength light than the L-cones of terrestrial mammals, they still have a very low sensitivity for blue light. And because there is only one type of cone, they are essentially colorblind (although in theory it is possible that there is a very limited form of color vision in some light conditions, when both the rods and the cones are active). Reference: L. Peichl, G. Behrmann & R.H.H. Kröger (2001) For whales and seals the ocean is not blue: a visual pigment loss in marine mammals European Journal of Neuroscience, vol. 13: 1520-1528

https://www.dolphincommunicationproject.org/helpie_faq/can-dolphins-see-colors/
Latest Discussions»The DU Lounge»Pink dolphin: