Meanings
plural leucophores
- biologyAny chromatophore that shows white in reflected light.
Leucophores contain purine in leucosomes and are responsible for white pigmentation in adult medaka.
2009, Masato Kinoshita, Kenji Murata, Kiyoshi Naruse, Minoru Tanaka, Medaka: Biology, Management, and Experimental Protocols, page 1212 more examples
When the overlying chromatophores are fully contracted, the underlying leucophores reflect the light making the papillae appear “chalky white”.
2006, Luciana Borrelli, Francesca Gherardi, Graziano Fiorito, A Catalogue of Body Patterning in Cephalopoda, page 216Iridophores, formerly known also as guanophores (appearing blue, silver, or gold), and leucophores (white or cream) are non-dendritic cells that contain organelles termed reflective platelets, composed of crystallized guanine.
2013, Alberto Lapedriza, Kleio Petratou, Robet N. Kelsh, “14: Neural Crest Cells and Pigmentation”, in Paul Trainor, editor, Neural Crest Cells: Evolution, Development and Disease, page 289
Origin
- Ancient Greekλευκός“white”
- Englishleucophore
From Ancient Greek λευκός (leukós, “white”) + -φόρος (-phóros, “bearing”), a derivative of φέρειν (phérein, “to bear, to carry”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
leucophore. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leucophore
“leucophore.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leucophore. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “leucophore,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leucophore.
Source: leucophore on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.