|
Phenotype: The dilute gene affects scale color in drakes by controlling the distribution of pigment granules.
Drakes homozygous (d/d) for the recessive allele d have pigment granules fail to disperse normally in melanocytes.
When scales are examined microscopically in cross section, pigment granules in wild type (D/*) are spread throughout the melanocyte, while pigment granules in d/d are clumped, typically near the nucleus.
Recessive alleles of the colorless gene are epistatic to dilute; both c/c D/* and c/c d/d have translucent white scales.
In the absence of colorless, the dilute gene produces the scale colors described below:
| | D/* | d/d |
| M/* B/* |
 |
 |
| Steel | Argent |
|
| | D/* | d/d |
| m/m B/* |
 |
 |
| Charcoal | Dust |
|
| | D/* | d/d |
| M/* b/b |
 |
 |
| Copper | Gold |
|
| | D/* | d/d |
| m/m b/b |
 |
 |
| Earth | Sand |
|
The recessive allele dl shows the pigmentation phenotype in d/dl and dl/dl drakes; the latter die within days of hatching with a seizure disorder.
Phenotype Terms:
behavior/neurological phenotype
integument phenotype
pigmentation phenotype
mortality
|
