Melanism

Melanism is an increased amount of black or nearly black pigmentation (as of skin, feathers, or hair) of an individual or kind of organism. More technically, it refers to a phenotype in which the pigmentation of an organism is entirely, or nearly entirely, expressed.

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Examples include leopards, tigers, coral snakes, squirrels, etc.

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Leopards, pumas and jaguars with this condition are often called panthers or black panthers. However, leopards, jaguars, lions and tigers are all members of the Panthera genus.

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See also:

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• albinism

Pigmentation: REDIRECT Pigment...

Skin: :For alternate meanigns see skin (disambiguation)...

Feather: A feather is one of the epidermal growths that forms the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on a bird. They are the outstanding characteristic that distinguishes the Class Aves from all other living groups. Other Theropoda also had feathers (see Feathered dinosaurs)....