Which form of melanin features predominantly in darker skin?

• A. Pheomelanin
• B. Carotene
• C. Eumelanin
• D. Melanin

Answer: (C)

Eumelanin is the form of melanin that predominates in darker skin. It creates the brown to black tones you see in deeper skin colors and is the pigment most responsible for that rich, shielding shade. Pheomelanin, by contrast, gives reddish-yellow tones and is more associated with lighter skin or red hair; it contributes less to the dark baselines of skin color. Carotene is a separate pigment from the diet that can add yellow-orange hues, but it isn’t melanin. Melanin as a whole refers to the pigment produced by melanocytes, while darker skin specifically reflects a higher amount of eumelanin relative to pheomelanin, producing the deeper appearance.