Douglas White <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote
>Gerbils could have the same genes and have minor coat differences each gerbil
>is different so even though yours look slightly different it is probably just
>due to that fact.
>
> Doug
Yes, there are at least five different factors that affect coat colour.
1) The main genotype (IE Golden Agouti in your case)
2) Recognised modifying genes (IE There is maybe a major modifying gene
that switches normal spotting to pied)
3) Polygenic modifiers (IE The multiple genes that modify various
characteristics, such as the amount of white in a pied gerbil, or in the
case of many other species, the type of yellow pigment.)
4) Known recessive genes (IE, Golden Agouti gerbils with Ee are clearly
still Golden Agouti, but have a brighter colour).
5) Environmental factors (IE, as geneticists use this to mean anything
other than genes this can be diet, temperature, womb conditions during
development, or even chance.)
In the case of Golden Agoutis we know that 4) affects them in various
ways. Aa Golden Agoutis tend to be darker, Pp ones tend to be duller, as
do Gg ones. Ee ones are brighter. This will probably be the reason for
most of the most obvious differences. Minor differences are probably due
to 3) and o a greater extent, 5). 2) is not known to affect Golden
Agoutis.
It is normal for Golden Agoutis to have a yellow stripe between the
dorsal and ventral coats. Ee makes this more noticeable (probably by
making the band a little wider. Gg has a reputation for ruining any
colour with yellow in it, and may be responsible for making the yellow
stripe less noticeable.
--
Julian
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* Jackie and Julian *
* [EMAIL PROTECTED] *
* National Gerbil Society *
* http://www.gerbils.co.uk/ *
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