Basic Color Genetics: Chocolate Agouti and Lynx

The Chocolate Agouti and Lynx are in the brown/chocolate family, characterized by bb.

In yesterday's post, we compared chestnut agouti with chocolate agouti using photos of the French Angora.   Thanks for Debbie McCormick, we have a photo of a chocolate agouti English Angora today.   The color genes of chocolate agouti are: A-bbC-D-E-
In translation:  Agouti pattern, brown/chocolate family, full color, dense/non-dilute color, extended color.    This is the agouti version of Chocolate.  
Color of eyes: Brown.

Lynx is the dilute version of Chocolate Agouti, or the agouti version of Lilac.  It would have been better to call it Lilac Agouti but the established named used in the ARBA SOP is Lynx.
The color genes of Lynx are: A-bbC-ddE-
In translation: Agouti pattern, brown/chocolate family, full color, dilute color, extended color.
Color of eyes: Gray.
(Photo credit: Debbie McCormick.) 


To reiterate:
Chocolate Agouti      A-bbC-D-E-
Lynx                           A-bbC-ddE-  

 

Basic Color Genetics: Chestnut Agouti and Chocolate Agouti

Chestnut Agouti: A-B-C-D-E-

Chestnut Agouti shows brown with black tips.

 

Chocolate Agouti: A-bbC-D-E-

Chocolate Agouti shows brown with brown tips.


Both are agouti pattern, full color, dense color and extended color.  The only difference is that chestnut agouti is in the black family B- while chocolate agouti is in the brown/chocolate family bb.   

Basic Color Genetics: Chestnut Agouti and Opal

Chestnut is the agouti version of black.   
The color genes are: A-B-C-D-E-
In translation: Agouti pattern, black family, full colored, dense color (non-dilute), extended color. 
All these are dominant, the - means there maybe another same dominant gene or a recessive gene.
The word chestnut is a very good description, it's brown/orange with black tips.  Color of the eyes: Brown   This is Lipton.

This is Lipton again but photo taken in the shade to compare the influence of the lighting.

A good chestnut should have very definitive ring pattern.  This photo of Lipton was taken when he was a junior.   It's harder to get the pattern as sharp as this when the senior coat comes in.

This is Lipton's dad William Penn who is an opal.  Opal is the dilute version of Chestnut Agouti.
The color genes are: A-B-C-ddE-
In translation: Agouti patterned, black family, full color, dilute color, extended color.
The only difference between the chestnut agouti and opal is that the chestnut is non-dilute while the opal is the dilute.  Color of the eyes: Gray.
Opal is an established name used in the ARBA Standard of Perfection, genetically opal is "blue agouti", the agouti version of blue.     

This is again William Penn, photo taken in the shade.  It's more bluish with tan color underneath.   The ring pattern will not be as obvious as chestnut agouti due to the dilute factor.   Since I did not own William Penn when he was young, I do not have any photo depicting his ring pattern.   

 This is a days old opal baby, it shows blue with tan undertone and a white tummy.   

To reiterate: Chestnut Agouti color genes:         A-B-C-D-E-

                     Opal (blue agouti) color genes:     A-B-C-ddE-

Since offspring takes a copy of the gene from each parent, Lipton is William Penn's son so Lipton inherited one copy of the dilute gene d.   Thus Lipton's color genes are: A-B-C-DdE-

 

Lipton Loves the Ladies

Hi, ladies, I am Lipton, I am so happy to see you.   

Can we be friends?

Can we talk?

Mom, they don't talk to me, I am sad. 

I am patient, I'll wait.  

Hi, Monique, I like you.  

Why is your sister Simone so far away? 

We can enjoy our time together.

Ladies, isn't this a great day?

 

Pretty Orchids

Carolyn shares her pretty yellow orchids. 

A close up of the beautiful yellow orchids.

The pink one next to the yellow ones is also gorgeous.

 

Basic Color Genetics: Four Kinds of Torts

 

We have compared the non-agouti black family,  extended color vs non-extended color.   We also have compared the non-agouti brown/chocolate family, extended color vs non-extended color.    I very much would like to put all four together to compare but unfortunately I have never had black/blue/chocolate/lilac bunnies at the same time.   Luckily, at one time, I did have the four torts:

These are not from the same litter, they are from a few days to a couple of weeks apart in age.
From left to right: black tort, blue tort, chocolate tort and lilac tort.

Black tort:        aaB-C-D-ee
Blue tort:           aaB-C-ddee 
Chocolate tort:  aabbC-D-ee
Lilac tort:           aabbC-ddee 

All the upper case letters show the dominant genes, the - shows there maybe another dominant gene or a recessive gene. 

They are all non-agouti, shown by aa. 
The black family is shown by B-. 
The brown/chocolate family is shown by bb.
They are all full colored, shown by C-. 
The dense color/non-dilute is shown by D-. 
The dilute is shown by dd. 
They are all non-extended color, shown by ee.   

Basic Color Genetics: Lilac and Lilac Tort

 

This post compares Lilac and Lilac Tort.   

Lilac color genes are: aabbC-ddE-
Non-agouti, brown/chocolate family, full color, dilute, extended color.

Lilac tort color genes are: aabbC-ddee
Non-agouti, brown/chocolate family, full color, dilute, non-extension.

Comparing the two:
Lilac:        aabbC-ddE-
Lilac tort: aabbC-ddee

The difference is the extension gene.  If the color is extended to the entire body, lilac.  If not extended, lilac tort.   Both are dilute thus both have gray eyes.