A Note on $4$-colorings of Quadrangulations

Abstract

Let $G$ be a quadrangulation on an orientable surface and let $g$ be a proper vertex-$4$-coloring of $G$. A face $F$ of $G$ is said to be a rainbow-face if all four distinct colors appear on its boundary. A $(c_1,c_2,c_3,c_4)$-face in $G$ is a rainbow face with colors $c_i$, $i=1,2,3,4$ on the boundary in clockwise order. We show that the number of $(c_1,c_2,c_3,c_4)$-faces in $G$ equals the number of $(c_4,c_3,c_2,c_1)$-faces. This implies in particular that the number of rainbow-faces of $G$ is even.