Fig. 9

bnc2 promotes both early and late metamorphic stripe melanophores, but is required by fin melanophores only in the absence of csf1r and kit.

Shown on the left are wild-type (A), the single mutant phenotypes of kit (B), ltk (C), csf1r (D) and the double mutant phenotype of csf1r; kit (E). Shown on the right is bonaparte (bnc2) (F) and the corresponding double and triple mutants with bonaparte (G–J). Whole fish images as well as details of the flank are shown. kit mutants lack EM melanophores but retain LM melanophores; kit mutants and all combinations with kit also lack scale melanophores [e.g., arrowhead in (B)]. ltk mutants lack both LM melanophores and body iridophores, but retain EM melanophores. csf1r mutants lack LM melanophores and all xanthophores, but retain EM melanophores in a dispersed pattern. csf1r; kit double mutants lack nearly all hypodermal body melanophores and lack all xanthophores, but retain melanophores in the fins (inset). All double and triple mutant combinations with bonaparte exhibited fewer hypodermal melanophores than the corresponding non-compound mutants. Remaining body melanophores are almost entirely found in association with scales (e.g., arrowheads in H′). bnc2; csf1r; kit mutants lacked virtually all body chromatophores and exhibited only a few residual melanophores at the tips of the fins (arrow), as well as a “medallion” of iridophores over the cardiac region. Scale in (A), 5 mm for (A–J); scale in (A′), 2 mm for (A′–J′).