Angora Colors
All rabbits were domesticated from the same wild European stock. Hence, all Angora rabbits carry the same genetic color expression. The basic genes are A, B, C, D, and E. These control pattern, color, richness, banding, and extension of color. Other modifiers can create broken colors, vienna marks, or overwhelm other color characteristics.
Here's the gist of it:
Every kit inherits two alleles (one from the sire and one from the dam). Dominant alleles (notated by capital letters) express over recessive alleles (notated as lower case letters). Some alleles are partially dominant, for instance C over Cchd over c.
Every hair shaft has both yellow and black pigments. The alleles control how much of the pigment is expressed and on what part of the hair shaft.
Modifiers are additional genes that can change the appearance (phenotype).
A - Pattern
Color minus/plus - modifiers that often express in colored Germans; the minus modifier is often the culprit of those pesky white spots or toenails while the ply modifier can result in dark spots or overall darker coloration. It should be noted that as rabbits transition to a new coat they will often exhibit dark spots that will go away by the time the next coat comes in (this is not non-syncronous coat).
Here's the gist of it:
Every kit inherits two alleles (one from the sire and one from the dam). Dominant alleles (notated by capital letters) express over recessive alleles (notated as lower case letters). Some alleles are partially dominant, for instance C over Cchd over c.
Every hair shaft has both yellow and black pigments. The alleles control how much of the pigment is expressed and on what part of the hair shaft.
Modifiers are additional genes that can change the appearance (phenotype).
A - Pattern
- A - agouti - light rings around eyes, nostrils, and lightens inner ear, belly, and tail - hair shaft has full color at base, only yellow in mid-band, and full color at tip
- at - tan - similar to agouti - not present in angoras
- a - self - full color along the entire hair shaft over the entire body
- B - Black
- b - Chocolate
- C - full color - all pigments expressed
- cchd - dark chinchilla - no yellow pigment (only apparent in agouti pattern), full black (or chocolate), dilutes eye color
- cchl - light chinchilla - no yellow pigment (only apparent in agouti pattern), partial black (or chocolate), dilutes eye color, can cause red cast to eye
- ch - himalayan - sort of like a partial albino - no pigment on body - gives red cast to eyes (color on head, ears, and legs can be any other color)
- c - albino - no pigment present - eyes are red (iris looks blue but slightly transparent)
- D - full color
- d - dilute color (turns black to blue and chocolate to lilac)
- Es - Steel - ticks the tip of the hair shaft with yellow or silver (silver if chinchilla based)
- E - all pigments fully extend along the hair shaft
- ej - harlequin - breaks color differences in banding into patches
- e - black pigments do not extend along hair shaft (mostly on body, some extension occurs on head, ears, legs, tail, belly)
- En - patches the hair into white patches and other genetic color
- en - full color - no patches
- W - normal color
- w - doubles the width of the yellow band in agoutis
- V - normal coat
- v - can leave white spots on coat (usually around nose or feet) full expression is full white coat with bright blue eyes, can also create blue eyes on colored animals
Color minus/plus - modifiers that often express in colored Germans; the minus modifier is often the culprit of those pesky white spots or toenails while the ply modifier can result in dark spots or overall darker coloration. It should be noted that as rabbits transition to a new coat they will often exhibit dark spots that will go away by the time the next coat comes in (this is not non-syncronous coat).
The chart below by Marna Davis, is a great place to start. All the colors are broken down by what they look like and what the knowns are in the genetic code. Remember that recessive traits are hidden by dominants so there can be a lot hiding in a simple looking color. Color genetics is the problem solving behind intentional breeding.
NOTE: explanations of wide-band modifiers are incorrect on this chart - wide band reduces the white areas on an agouti and lengthens the intermediate yellow band on the hair shaft
NOTE: explanations of wide-band modifiers are incorrect on this chart - wide band reduces the white areas on an agouti and lengthens the intermediate yellow band on the hair shaft
Filial Generations
Filial generations are notated by and F1 or F2 and denote a hybridization of two different homozygous genes (when the alleles are both the same dominant or recessive).
The F1 generation is when two different homozygous pairs are cross (exp DD x dd): resulting in 100% dominant expression but also 100% heterozygous genotype (Dd).
The F2 generation is when two heterozygous pairs are crossed (exp two F1s Dd x Dd): Resulting in 75% dominant expression, 25% homozygous dominant, 50% heterozygous, and 25% homozygous recessive.
Backcrossing is where the heterozygous animal is taken back to a homozygous recessive (exp F1 or F2 Dd x dd): resulting in 50% dominant expression, with no homozygous dominant genotypes. This generation is notated as BC
The F1 generation is when two different homozygous pairs are cross (exp DD x dd): resulting in 100% dominant expression but also 100% heterozygous genotype (Dd).
The F2 generation is when two heterozygous pairs are crossed (exp two F1s Dd x Dd): Resulting in 75% dominant expression, 25% homozygous dominant, 50% heterozygous, and 25% homozygous recessive.
Backcrossing is where the heterozygous animal is taken back to a homozygous recessive (exp F1 or F2 Dd x dd): resulting in 50% dominant expression, with no homozygous dominant genotypes. This generation is notated as BC
Other Color Resources
Interactive genetic color calculator from sire and dam
Explicit charts describing how genes interact with each other
Pictures of English Angoras comparing various color markings
Explicit charts describing how genes interact with each other
Pictures of English Angoras comparing various color markings
Examples
COMING SOON:
Angora Rabbit Colors: genetics and expression
Book by Jeanelle Miller
Book by Jeanelle Miller
- full color photos of every color type including examples from all five breeds and kits
- phenotype chart
- genotype chart
- dichotomous key to color identification
- much more...
Color My Litter
online interactive color calculator that provides the best estimates of color distribution in a potential litter of kits and percentage probability of colors
online interactive color calculator that provides the best estimates of color distribution in a potential litter of kits and percentage probability of colors