Coat Color Genes in Rodents and Carnivores

Abstract

A review of coat color genes in rodents and carnivores is necessarily limited by qualities inherent in the problem of comparative genetics. The availability of experimental data varies greatly in different species and may be roughly summarized as follows: (1) species with reasonably satisfactory data, including the house mouse, Norway rat, guinea pig, rabbit, Peromyscus, dog, cat, fox, and mink; (2) species with a small amount of breeding data, including the Asiatic mouse, hamster, cotton rat, Microtus, racoon, bear, and skunk; and (3) a variety of other species with primarily observational data. The absence of histological data regarding the type and extent of melanin formation and distribution further handicaps the accurate evaluation and classification of phenotypes and their comparison as to genotypic similarities and differences. The author feels, however, that maintenance and development of a comparative interest in coat color of mammals will contribute to the continued increase in genetic information.