Pigment in Scaly Dinosaurs

[amargasaurus cazaui]

I had not thought of that paper when thinking of this topic; will have to take a look when I have enough time to sit down and properly read through a paper. Thanks for the tip.

I posted the abstract here but if you need the actual paper and dont have it, let me know. I can send you a link for it

[DinoLord]

Just read the abstract and it goes into sufficient detail to get the gist of things. Seems like the Psittacosaurus species studied displayed a wide variety of colors with melanin-based pigments.

[amargasaurus cazaui]

Just read the abstract and it goes into sufficient detail to get the gist of things. Seems like the Psittacosaurus species studied displayed a wide variety of colors with melanin-based pigments.

The animal was apparently almost black towards the head and lightened towards the tail, with tans, browns, and deeper shades . Also large dark scales ringed by smaller different shaped scales of lighter color, so a very highly patterned and yet dully colored animal.

[Dinoguy2]

Note that down feathers apparently are bad at having structural color, so the colors of dinosaurs with filament integument might be limited to those found in mammals and bird chicks. But scaly parts of dinosaurs and those with advanced feathers could have pretty much anything.

There is a catch though which is that the ability to use pigments from foods in feathers is limited to neoavians. That's why pheasants etc have striking iridescent colors but not flat, bright reds or yellows. Same would be true for feathered dinos. But ducks etc often make up for this with bright bills and legs.

[fabricious]

I'd like to disagree about pheasants not having bright red or yellow colors, as seen here:
https://www.google.at/search?q=golden+pheasant&espv=2&biw=1440&bih=802&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=F54VVPrDLIWuPLW_gNgD&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ

[Gryphoceratops]

Sometimes what we view as bright colors actually serve as camouflage in an animal's environment.  Many forest reptiles like Tiger Rat snakes and russian rat snakes sport striking black and yellow patterns that seem loud but they actually hide the animal really well when they are amongst branches in scattered light filtering through leaves.

Fun way to tell if a feather's colors are pigment or structural: hold the feather up to a light and look at it.  If it retains its color, its pigment.  If it turns dull brown/gray, its structural.