Re: [pyrnet] Re: pyrnet-l-digest.20020708-1

[JGentzel@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/8/02 9:49:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time, rhonda@castlepublishing.com writes:


> : Do all Pyrs have the white skin with black spots? That could also be a clue a to the genetics of color.


Not sure I call skin color "white", just last of color or pigment.  Also not sure I call the color patches black, just pigment although the color in roof of the mouth is definitely black.  I suspect this is more related to the nose, eyes, and lips.  This is speculation on my part.  Some Pyrs have skin without color on it, although in all honesty I have never gone over a Pyr inch by inch.  Skin color is easily noticed on belly.  Not sure how this (presence or absence) could be a clue to genetics of color in coat.  Is it known there is some direct relationship between the color in the coat and these skin colors.  You also have colors in different regions that I suspect have different genetics in place i.e. skin, nose, eye rims, lips, roof of mouth, etc.  You see your all white Pyr and other Great White Guard Dogs with jet black pigment on nose, eyes, lips, etc.  Then you can see a marked Pyr with crappy (scientific term <VBG>) color on the same area, both broken and not really very black.  

I would ignore completely comparisons between different species, as any indicator of the color genetics from one species to another, that is unless one knows that some genetic trait is definitely consistent in any animal.  

Joe