in taxon results in acquisition of features of xanthophore cell cell differentiation pigment cell differentiation xanthophore differentiation xanthophore cell differentiation GO:0050936 The process in which a relatively unspecialized cell acquires the specialized features of a xanthophore cell. Xanthophores are pigment cells derived from the neural crest. They contain pteridine and/or carotenoid pigments in structures called pterinosomes or xanthosomes. This makes them yellow to orange in appearance. Note that this term refers to xanthophores in the sense of specialized pigment-producing cells, and should not be confused with the cellular component term 'xanthophore ; GO:0031633', which refers to a subcellular structure. Craniata <chordates>