Gerbil Gene Glossary
A Locus
The Agouti Locus ~ This controls the white belly and banding in the hair
A* - Agouti
a - non-agouti or self coloured
C Locus
The Abino Locus or Chinchilla Locus ~ This controls the overall level of colour which is produced in a gerbils coat
C* - full colour
c(chm) - Chinchilla medium (previously Burmese) - This reduces the colour intensity of the coat but leaves pigment at the extremities. The gene is temperature dependant.
c(h) - Himalayan - This greatly reduces the colour intensity of the coat but leaves pigment at the tail. The gene is temperature dependant.
D Locus
The Dilution Locus ~ This controls the depth of colour in an animals coat.
D* - Intense or full colour
d - Dilutes all colours.
E Locus
The Extension Locus ~ This controls the balance between the black and yellow pigments in the coat.
E*- Normal extension of black and yellow in the coat.
e - Extension of yellow, increases the yellow pigment in the coat at the expense of the black pigment.
e(f) - Extension of yellow fading, increases the yellow pigment at the expense of the black but the colour fades with the animals age.
P Locus
Pink-Eyed Dilution Locus ~ This controls the eye colour and lightens the coat colour.
P* - Non Pink eyed. (Eyes are Black)
p - Removes nearly all the black pigment from the coat, slightly reduces the yellow pigment and dilutes the eye colour to a ruby red.
G Locus
The Grey Locus ~ This controls the black and yellow intensity of the coat.
G* - Non grey.
g - Removes virtually all the yellow, dilutes black to grey.
Dominant SP Locus
The Dominant Spotting Locus ~ Controls white spotting white markings can be exended by modifying genes, i.e spot to patch, patch to collared & collared to mottled, also dilutes the coat colour.
Non-spotted
Non-spotted hasn't officially been allocated a symbol by geneticists. .
* indicates the gene found in the wild type, i.e Agouti coat colour.