Dark Chinchilla cchd

When we move to the next lower c-allele, we find that full colour's three units of yellow pigment have been reduced to just one unit of yellow pigment in the dark chinchilla cchd.  In the agouti-patterned cchd Chinchilla, the yellow pigment has been reduced to only one unit, although the black pigment produced in the undercolour and at the fur tips is the same four units as at the full colour C allele.  The Netherland Dwarf breed standard describing Chinchilla colour takes into account the fact that some faint yellow pigment remains in the intermediary band portion of the Chinchilla's fur shaft, calling for a 'pearl' band colour instead of pure white.  But, while the yellow pigment has been reduced to only one unit, the black pigment produced in the undercolour and at the fur tips is the same four units as at the full colour C allele.  Consequently, the undercolour and tip colour of the cchd Chinchilla is just as black as that of full colour C Agouti's.

When we move to the tan-patterned cchd

In the self-patterned dark chinchilla Black, we see no difference in coat colour from the self-patterned full colour Black.  Now the fur shaft is covered from root to tip with only one unit of yellow pigment instead of three as in full colour.  This lighter shade of yellow pigment is covered over with the full four units of black pigment and no reduction in the black colour is apparent.  This is an example of two Dwarfs with different genotypes resulting in the same phenotype athe self-patterned full colour C Black is indistinguishable in appearance from the self-patterned cchd Black.  

Full Colour C    Light Chinchilla cchl    Himalayan ch    Albino c

back to colour distribution in  the fur shaft

the basic patterns

the basic colours

extension of colour in the fur shaft

back to hompage