post #379373 post #205375 post #3974

Melanism is a mutation exhibited by a large number of animals. Melanistic creatures have a lot of dark-colored pigment in their skin, generally resulting in a black or near-black coloration. Depending on the individual, there may still be a visible pattern.

An animal with black fur is not, by default, melanistic, as black is a normal color for many creatures.

The most common melanistic animal is probably the so-called black panther. Black panthers are not a single species, but a colloquial name for one of two animals: a leopard (from Africa or Asia) or a jaguar (from Central or South America). Jaguars especially frequently display this mutation as the dark coloration is actually advantageous to their survival.

However, many other animals have exhibited melanism: squirrels, canines, snakes, birds, among others. That said, humans have never exhibited this sort of mutation.

So, to recap: a melanistic animal is an animal that exhibits unusually dark coloration compared to other members of it's species.

Melanism is the 'opposite' of albinism.

See also

• albino - for a complete lack of pigment, with red or pink eyes
• leucism - A similar but different lack of pigment, with non-red eyes.
• piebald - a form of leucism where the unpigmented areas appear in large patches across the body.
• erythrism - A similar mutation, where red pigment is produced in excess, usually replacing darker pigments.