zooerythrinhttp://www.oed.com/dictionary/zooerythrin_n%3Ftab%3Dmeaning_and_usezooerythrin, n.
Revised 2017

zooerythrinnoun

  1. 1871–
    A red carotenoid pigment found animals, esp. in the plumage of certain birds.
    1. 1871
      Colouring matters may be extracted, and among these the yellow, red, lilac, and green (zoofulvin, zooerythrin, zooverdin), are soluble in ether and alcohol.
      H. Watts, translation of L. Gmelin, Hand-book of Chemistry vol. XVIII. 419
    2. 1960
      In the one extreme race..zooerythrin is totally lacking, while in the other extreme this red pigment is so intense that it bars all green and yellow shades.
      B. Rensch, Evolution above Species Level iii. 34
    3. 2012
      This group of birds harbours unusually bright, non-carotenoid feather pigments which..differ from the widely distributed carotenoids (zooerythrin and xanthoerythrin).
      A. Lima-de-Faria, Molecular Geom. Body Pattern Birds ii. 11/1

Originally published as part of the entry for zoo-, comb. form

zoo-, comb. form was revised in June 2017.