Stink bugs are able to select how light or dark their eggs are when they lay them. The varying shades can be seen along the bottom of the image from the lightest eggs (left) to the darkest (right). (Image credit: Leslie Abram)
Stink bugs, Podisus maculiventris, are able to change the colour of the eggs they lay to better protect them from UV radiation, according to new findings. The researchers expected the colour variation to come from differing levels of melanin, however they found a new compound responsible for the pigmentation.
While stink bugs are the first animals seen to have this ability, the research team believes others will be found.
In the future the research team will work to identify the chemical composition and structure of this new pigment.
Original research paper published in Current Biology on July 23, 2015.
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