What is a defining feature of eumelanin?

Eumelanin is one of the two main types of melanin found in human hair, skin, and eyes. Its defining characteristic is that it is primarily responsible for the darker pigments, specifically black and brown colors. This type of melanin plays a significant role in the pigmentation of hair, skin, and eyes, affecting the depth of color that we see.

In contrast, features like texture are influenced by other factors such as the hair follicle structure and the shape of the hair strand, rather than the type of melanin present. Blonde tint is associated with pheomelanin, the other type of melanin, which is lighter in color and provides yellow and blonde tones. Similarly, red tones in hair color also come from pheomelanin rather than eumelanin. Therefore, eumelanin clearly stands out as the pigment that provides the darker hues, confirming its role in contributing to black and brown colors specifically.