Question

What determines the color of the pneumatophore sac of a Portuguese man o' war? Is it genetic, analogous to eye color or hair color in mammals? Is it essentially dyed by exposure to various chemicals in the environment? Is it gender-based? Is there some other explanation as to why one man o' war might be blue while another is pink?

Answer 1

The color of the pneumatophore sac of a Portuguese man o' war is determined by the presence of carotenoid pigments, and can range from red to pink, orange, blue, or purple. This coloration is influenced by environmental factors such as light and nutrition, and is not genetic like eye or hair color in mammals.

Step-by-step explanation:

The color of the pneumatophore sac of a Portuguese man o' war is determined by the presence of pigments called carotenoids.

The presence and concentration of carotenoids in the sac determine the color of the man o' war. The carotenoids can range from red to pink, orange, blue, or purple.

This coloration is not genetic, analogous to eye or hair color in mammals, but is instead determined by the presence of these pigments, which can be influenced by environmental factors such as light and nutrition.