“In other animals where the biology and genetics are understood, ‘melanism’ refers to increased production of a specific pigment type”, Professor Barsh explained in email.Īre Tira’s black coloration and general lack of stripes the result of having too many melanocytes or are his melanocytes producing too much melanin? Melanins are synthesized by specialized cells known as melanocytes. “t is probably better described as ‘spotted’ or ‘partially spotted’.”īlack zebra stripes are created by melanins, a group of pigments that provide yellow, red, brown or black color to hair and skin.
“This animal is different from most others that have been described as pseudo-melanistic”, Professor Barsh added. Professor Barsh is an expert on the genetic mechanisms that underlie differences in individual appearance, a specialty that provides important insights into basic biology as well as human disease. “I do not know the origin of the term pseudo-melanism, but I think it is fair to say that is a popular and undefined term, used to refer to very rare animals that exhibit an apparent abnormality in the stripe pattern process such that light stripes are excluded from much of the trunk and back, but are more common on the extremities”, said geneticist Greg Barsh, a faculty investigator at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology and a Professor Emeritus at Stanford University. Newborn black zebra foal with white polka-dots (and a few partial stripes) spotted in Maasai Mara … Frank Liu Tira realized he was looking at a newborn zebra with a pigment disorder. “I was confused when I first saw it.”Īfter carefully studying the foal, Mr. Tira told the Daily Nation, a Kenyan newspaper. “At first, I thought it was a zebra that had been captured and painted or marked for purposes of migration,” Mr. This rare black zebra foal was first spotted and photographed early one fine September morning near the Mara River by Antony Tira, a respected Maasai tour guide and photographer at the Matira Bush Camp in the Reserve. This is the first time that this unusual pattern has ever been seen among zebras in the Maasai Mara.
Rare Zebra Foal - With Polka-Dots!! - Spotted In Kenya | newborn zebra foal with bizarre polka-dot markings has recently been photographed in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. This portrait … Frank Liuīy GrrlScientist, Senior Contributor Science White polka-dotted black zebra foal spotted in Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.
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