The development and the regeneration of the color pattern in brachydanio rerio

The teleost fish Brachydanio rerio is strikingly marked with longitudinal black stripes, which extend into the caudal fin and across the anal fin. Removal of the anal fin is followed by complete regeneration of the fin and of its normal color pattern. Microphotographic studies show that melanophores are at first uniformly distributed in the regenerating tissue and that later the melanophores disintegrate in the zone of the future light stripe and increase in the region of the future dark stripe. Observations on the normal development of the fin where the history of the individual melanophores has been followed show the same mode of formation of the stripes.