Abstract
While melanistic genets (Genetta spp.) are well known in a few species of the genus, albino specimens have not been described to date. Here, we report on the presence of unusual albino and melanistic common genets (Genetta genetta) in Spain, discussing their frequency of occurrence in the wild. Melanistic and albino common genets are not known in the original African range of the species, thus phenotypical variability in coat colour appears to be greater in Europe, its introduced range. Natural (e.g. a reduced risk of predation in Europe) and/or artificial (e.g. captive-rearing of the species) selection could explain this fact, but more research on the topic is needed.
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Acknowledgments
Thanks are due to J. Duarte, C. García-Talegón, C. González, F. Jubete, J.V. López-Bao, F. Martínez, F. Mostacero, C. Piñol, L. Puentes-Poveda, J. Rodríguez-Piñero, J. Román and P. Rubio for providing their data and graphic documents of unusually coloured genets. Also, we wish to thank the taxidermists who provided MD with specimens in the past century, as well as the curators of the EBD-CSIC collection. The comments of D. Camps, P. Gaubert, J. A. Godoy, J. Jemin, M. Delibes-Mateos and an anonymous referee greatly improved previous drafts of the manuscript. P. J. Macaluso improved the English.
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Communicated by: Prof. Mieczyslaw Wolsan
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Delibes, M., Mézan-Muxart, V. & Calzada, J. Albino and melanistic genets (Genetta genetta) in Europe. Acta Theriol 58, 95–99 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-012-0088-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-012-0088-7