Color plays an important role in the life of animals. A person seeks to diversify or bring some kind of pinto color when it is economically advantageous. Fashion for colors gives an impetus to breeding individuals of rare stripes to meet growing demand. There are breeds of different types of animals, where "pies" is a prerequisite for the recognition of breeding value.
Definition
The presence in the animal of large white irregularly shaped spots that are unevenly scattered throughout the body is a piebald color. What and when the figure will come up with nature, it is impossible to predict. Sometimes spots reach such sizes that they completely cover the body of an individual. The iris of the eye can be both dark and blue.
A gene mutation can work at any time. Such “gifts” lead to the development of new colored breeds of animals. They are especially appreciated in fur farming and in the cultivation of decorative species of pets.
Cause
Piebald color begins to form in the womb. Vertebrate cells — melanoblasts — are responsible for the pattern. Before the process of differentiation (before changes in cell function, its metabolic activity, size, shape) they do not contain pigment. They are the precursors of pigment cells, which produce melanocytes in birds and mammals, and melanophores in cold-blooded ones.
Vertebral melanoblasts form in embryos in the neural crest. Subsequently, they move into the epidermis. Any violation during migration leads to non-standard color of the species. This can manifest itself as albinism and as a pied coloration of the hairline:
- Melanism With increased pigment formation, an excess of melanin gives a saturated black color.
- Chromism. The sequence of pigment formation is as follows: first a red pigment is formed, and then it turns black. Violation in the transition chain leads to the appearance of "golden" individuals.
- Piebaldism. The state of the body, affecting the production of melanin, is manifested in the segmental manifestation of white areas on the skin of the animal.
- Albinism. The complete or partial absence of pigment in the cell leads to the appearance of white individuals.
Pinto color options for horses
All over the world they love, value and breed horses. A variety of breeds, sizes and colors are amazing. The uniformity of the livestock, including the suit, is one of the characteristics of the breed. Earlier, and in some pedigree farms to this day, horses with pinto, uncharacteristic coat color are discarded. In the cavalry of the Soviet army, horses of similar suit were selected in the regiments. Pinto horses or animals with large marks were never taken. For example, the whiteness on the legs above the hock led to culling.
The Americans have their own view on such horses. The most valuable for them is the pinto. What color will be the future offspring, depends on the presence of a certain combination of genes in his parents. Their classification is as follows:
1. Tobiano (Tobiano). White spots are located on the entire surface of the body of the animal with the obligatory capture of the spinal line. The head has the main color, markings in the form of stars, holes are permissible. With maximum piebaldness, only the head and stomach remain dark. The color of the skin under the spots is pink, under the main color is gray.
2. Overo (Overo). Homozygous foals die during the first three days, white-born babies also enter this lethal group. Heterozygous spots are covered with a grip of the abdomen and head, but they are not located on the line of the spine. The skin is pink under the white color. Often representatives of this type often have multi-colored eyes.
Types of drawings:
- overo frame (pezhins on the neck and sides of the animal, enclosed in the "frame" of the main suit);
- splashed white (ears and part of the back remain darker, more rare color);
- sabino (marks on the legs, head, spots throughout the body, there is a prank).
3. Tovero (Tovero). A rare variant of piebaldness when an animal carries both genes. This mixture gives the most unusual patterns.
In the USA there is a clear classification of pinto horses. The Pinto Group (The Pinto Horse Association of America, PtHA) includes absolutely all (except for heavy vehicles) horses and pony pinto. Another group (The American Paint Horse Association, APHA) includes representatives of only two breeds: a thoroughbred horse and a quaterhorse. Both groups belong to the "color" rocks, officially fixed only on the American continent.
The worldwide recognized colored breed is appaloosa. What kind of pied hair color of a horse is this can be seen in the photo in the text. Dark white marks are scattered on a white background. On such horses, fashion was still in the 16-18 centuries among royalty and nobles in Europe.
Color in the wild
Pied pear color in the wild is found in various species of animals, birds, reptiles. The most common is full or partial albinism. The lack of pigmentation colors the hairline of an individual with an incredible ornament. In natural conditions, where a protective or camouflage color gives a chance of survival, such a “gift” of nature can be fatal.
A red seal with blue eyes serves as an example of this. He was discovered on Sakhalin. Rejected by the herd and mother, he was doomed to death. The intervention of a person saved the baby's life, he lives in a dolphinarium in Sochi.
Breeding
Not only in horse breeding are engaged in targeted breeding of "pegashi". In fur farming also has its own preferences. Scandinavian breeders specially bred the Finnish jaguar - the pinto mink. This is a color reminiscent of the color of the Dalmatian. This is one of the rarest and most unusual colors for representatives of this species. In rabbit farming, animals are bred not only because of meat, but also to obtain fur with an unusual pattern. Popular breeds: the German motley giant, the three-colored stripper, the butterfly, the Californian, black-brown, Russian ermine.
In dog breeding there are breeds named for their distinctive color, for example, Russian pinto. What is welcomed in one breed is unacceptable to others. Deviation in the color of breeding animals can lead to culling and exclusion from further breeding work.
Pets guinea pigs can please the owner with an incredible combination of stripes. Two- and three-color individuals are not uncommon among representatives of this species. There are also very special breeds - Russian or Himalayan guinea pig. The main body color is snow-white, and the coat at the legs, muzzle and ears have sharply limited dark pigmentation - black, brown or dark chocolate.
Rare colors
Both domestic and wild animals and birds have a very unusual color. For instance:
- Nicobar pigeon. Long mane feathers have a rainbow overflow.
- White-blue peacock (got his outfit due to gene mutations).
- In domestic animals - horses, cows, cats, dogs - it is easy to detect absolutely all varieties of porcupine.
- Peacock spider is considered the most beautiful spider in the world. His abdomen can have marks of different shades - blue, orange, red, violet, blue, yellow.
- Mandarin duck. She has feathers of orange, red, green, olive-brown, brown, violet, yellow, blue, black.
- Blue lobster - found in one in two million individuals.
- Indian bull frog of bright yellow color with blue "cheeks".
- Representatives of n fright and aquarium fish boast the most saturated and amazing combinations of colors.
Almost all species have albinos. The absence of adults in the wild indicates the inappropriateness of animals of this color to the living conditions.