Taste the rainbow: A review of color abnormalities affecting the herpetofauna of the British Isles

Abstract

Over the years, the terminology in regards to the abnormal coloration of reptiles and amphibians has become more complex with not all authors in agreement regarding the different terms. This, combined with the diversity of chromatic abnormalities, has led to some confusion, particularly between hobbyists and conservationists who tend to use different technical jargon. In this review, we aim to tackle this issue by explaining how color within the skin of amphibians and reptiles arises, and evaluating which terminology should be used. This information will then be used to explore each of the known chromatic abnormalities observed in amphibians and reptiles before summarizing the known cases throughout the British Isles. Finally, we also present a number of previously unrecorded instances of color abnormalities in the hope that it promotes further examples to be recorded.