Animals come in different colors, depending on their habitat, mode of survival, or how they hunt. From colorful animals to those that camouflage, animals have all the hues you can think of. With that in mind, some animals exhibit melanin levels, making them strikingly darker. This article explores some of the most popular melanistic animals.
What is Melanism?
Melanism in animals refers to a genetic defect that causes them to have excess melanin, making them strikingly darker. According to researchers, melanism occurs spontaneously in a random individual, making it seem like it pops out of nowhere in a population. Pseudomelanism, another form of melanism, is the kind that comes with dark spots or more prominent stripes, making the animal appear melanistic.
What is Industrial Melanism?
Industrial melanism refers to the darkening of fur, feathers, or skins of animals living in areas with soot-emitting industries/factories. One of the most famous expressions of industrial melanism in action involves the peppered moth. During the Industrial Revolution in England, pollution darkened tree bark with soot, making light-colored moths easy to spot by predators.
In response, a melanistic morph of this species, called the carbonaria form, became increasingly common. Dark-colored moths were better camouflaged against the now soot-blackened trees. When the level of pollution was cleaned up, this light-colored morph again became more abundant.
Why Are Animals Melanistic?
While this may give these animals a distinctive, often mysterious appearance, the dark coloration provides varied functional uses in the wild. From enhanced camouflage to improved thermoregulation, melanism is an evolutionary adaptation that crops up throughout an astonishing breadth of species. Melanism is mainly inherited and sometimes persists, spreading across multiple generations of species.
Examples of Melanistic Animals
Below are some popular examples of melanistic animals:
Black Panther
The black panther is a melanistic leopard and jaguar native to tropical rainforests. The animals have excess black pigment, making their typical rosettes hard to spot. Black panthers are very rare. They have been spotted in tropical forests in Africa and Asia but only countable times.
Alpine Salamander
Most alpine salamanders are entirely black due to melanin, which is a result of their evolution. It is said that the earlier alpine salamanders were not melanistic.
Melanistic Deer
Melanistic deer are the rarest species. However, they are not explicitly black; they can also be gray, mahogany, or walnut. It has mostly been reported in the white-tailed deer species.
Melanistic Cheetahs
While melanistic cheetahs are pretty rare, they have been documented in Africa, specifically in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Unlike black panthers, melanistic cheetahs don’t have full-coverage black pigmentation. Instead, they experience pseudomelanism.
Melanistic Chipmunks
Melanistic chipmunks are said to be extremely rare. However, some have been spotted over time. They are all black, even their eyes.
Melanistic Cats
A cat with single-colored fur is called a self or a solid. Because of their melanin content, most melanistic cats have golden irises. Black cats are often associated with myths and superstition.
Jaguarundi
American wildcat of uniform coloration and slender stature. A few melanistic counterparts have been reported, but they don’t have a totally black pigmentation.
Melanistic Gray Wolf
Some gray wolf species exhibit melanism. They have dark coats that keep them camouflaged in dense forest habitats.
Melanistic Squirrels
The melanistic counterparts of the squirrel are almost entirely black and are found in certain geolocations. They are seen to have a higher tolerance to cold climate conditions, providing a thermal advantage over the other squirrels that are not melanistic.
Zebra
Melanistic zebras are extremely rare but have been recorded. A perfect example is Tira, a Kenyan zebra polka-dotted foal. This characteristic results from pseudomelanism but is also up for debate.
Guinea Pig
Melanism in guinea pigs is relatively common compared to most other animals listed here. Because of selective breeding, many breeds of guinea pigs come in a solid black or mostly black variety.
Silkie
In these chickens, melanism goes beyond their skin and seeps into the body tissue, which is a quite rare trait. This mutation is believed to be carried from Asia.
Flamingo
Though rare, a black flamingo was spotted on the coast of Cyprus. The bird’s dark plumage resulted from the production of too much melanin, turning what should be pink feathers black.
Ayam Cemani
Ayam cemani is a rare chicken breed from Indonesia with a dominant gene that results in fibromelanosis. The chicken is entirely black, including its feathers, internal organs, and beak. It is mainly used for cockfighting in Bali due to its muscle strength.
Barn Owl
One in every 100,000 barn owls is melanistic. This is characterized by an increased black or nearly black hue on the birds. A good example is Ashley from the Barn Owl Centre in the UK.
Penguins
Melanistic penguins have been observed over time. In these cases, the white belly may turn black or dark grey, and the orange markings may not be as distinct.
European Adder
Completely black melanistic adders may have an advantage in cooler climates. Their dark coloring allows them to absorb more heat from the sun. Melanistic adders, mostly female, are very common in northern parts of their range, such as Scandinavia and the UK.
Melanistic Turtle
Very rarely do melanistic turtles show up with predominantly black or dark coloring. However, the trait is more prominent in certain species. Melanism in turtles confers an advantage in heat retention.
Eastern Blue-Tongued Lizard
The distinguishing feature of these reptiles is their blue tongues, though their bodies were generally mottled brown or grey. On rare occasions, melanistic ones were black, with very few variations in skin color.
Manta Ray
Melanistic mantas that are entirely black or largely so have been observed. Genetic factors account for the causes of melanism in mantas; the advantages of it, though, are not as yet entirely understandable. Some theories say this serves better for camouflage in deeper waters.
