The Black Panther is the prototypical example of melanism.

Melanism is an increased amount of black or nearly black pigmentation (as of skin, feathers, or hair) of an organism, resulting from the presence of melanin. It is the opposite of albinism, which occurs due to lack of melanin. More technically, it refers to a phenotype in which the pigmentation of an organism is entirely, or nearly entirely, expressed. A synonym for this condition used in the context of human disease is melanosis. Abundism is an increase in dark pigmentation in patterned coats or skins which causes an increase in the number or size of pigmented spots, stripes or other patch types. Abundism which is sufficiently extreme to appear like melanism, such as when the stripes of a striped animal increase in width sufficiently to overlap, is known as pseudo-melanism. Melanism and abundism are often the result of genetic mutation, but can result from other stimuli, such as exposure to abnormal temperature changes during gestation which transiently alter gene transcription or translation. Melanism or abundism triggered by human modification of the environment is known as industrial melanism; the history of this phenomenon in the peppered moth in the United Kingdom is a classic instructional tool for teaching the principles of natural selection. Image File history File linksMetadata Jaguar. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Jaguar. ... A melanistic black jaguar, or black panther The black panther is the common name for a black specimen (a melanistic variant) of any of several species of cats. ... In biology, pigment is any material resulting in color in plant or animal cells which is the result of selective absorption. ... Beyond overall skin structure, refer below to: See-also. ... Two feathers Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds. ... For the 1968 stage production, see Hair (musical), for the 1979 film, see Hair (film). ... Broadly, melanin is any of the polyacetylene, polyaniline, and polypyrrole blacks and browns or their mixed copolymers. ... “Albino” redirects here. ... Individuals in the mollusk species Donax variabilis show diverse coloration and patterning in their phenotypes. ... It has been suggested that mutant be merged into this article or section. ... A micrograph of ongoing gene transcription of ribosomal RNA illustrating the growing primary transcripts. ... Translation is the second process of protein biosynthesis (part of the overall process of gene expression). ... Binomial name Biston betularia Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies The peppered moth (Biston betularia) is a temperate species of night-flying moth often used by educators as an example of natural selection. ... For other uses, see Natural selection (disambiguation). ...

Melanism has been shown to occur in a variety of animals, including mammals (squirrels, many felines, many canids); reptiles (coral snakes); and insects (peppered moth).

Many examples of melanism are known among felines. Melanism is due to changes in the agouti gene which controls banding of black and light areas on the hair shaft. Leopards and Jaguars with this condition are often called black panther (although Cougars are also known as panthers, there are no verified cases of melanism in that species). However, the Leopard, the Jaguar, the Lion and the Tiger are all members of the Panthera genus. One good example of melanism expressed within a certain animal community is that of the Leopard population in Malaysia, South East Asia, in which case up to 50% of the population has melanism. That is apparently due to them being more cryptic in their dusky rainforest habitat. Better resistance to viruses may also explain the greater prevalence of black leopards in those areas. “Feline” redirects here. ... Agouti refers to a number of species of rodents, as well as a number of genes affecting coat coloration in several different animals. ... For other uses, see Leopard (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Jaguar (disambiguation). ... A melanistic black jaguar, or black panther The black panther is the common name for a black specimen (a melanistic variant) of any of several species of cats. ... For other uses, see Cougar (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Panthera (disambiguation). ... Look up cryptic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up habitat in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about biological infectious particles. ...

Melanistic Eastern Grey Squirrel in Toronto, Canada.

In the Jaguar, melanism is due to a dominant gene mutation meaning that black Jaguars may produce spotted offspring. In the Leopard, melanism is due to a recessive gene mutation meaning that two spotted Leopards carrying the gene may produce black cubs, but black Leopards will breed true when mated together. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (792x792, 612 KB) Summary took the pictuer myself Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (792x792, 612 KB) Summary took the pictuer myself Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Binomial name Sciurus carolinensis Gmelin, 1788 The Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is a tree squirrel that is native to the eastern to midwestern United States and the eastern provinces of Canada. ...

Industrial melanism

Melanism is a phenomenon caused by anthropogenic alteration of the natural environment where industrial pollution turns vegetation a dark sooty colour. Because many organisms rely on camouflage to avoid predation, the sudden change in environment makes them highly vulnerable to predators. This creates a strong selective pressure which will see any organism with a darker colour much more likely to survive and contribute to the gene pool of the next generation. Rare mutations are hence selected for and over time the population will adjust to a new equilibrium. Look up anthropogenic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about the natural environment. ... It has been suggested that Pollutant be merged into this article or section. ... Countershaded Ibex are almost invisible in the Israeli desert. ... Predator and Prey redirect here. ... For other uses, see Natural selection (disambiguation). ...

Melanism and the immune system

Melanistic Guinea pigs are relatively rare, and are considered especially effective in ritual use by Andean curanderos.^[1]

Melanism has been found to be linked to beneficial changes in the immune system. "The Smithsonian Answer Book: Cats" notes that genes for melanism in felids may provide resistance from viral infections and that a viral epidemic may explain the prevalence of black leopards in Java and Malaysia, and the relatively high incidence of black leopards and black servals in the Aberdares region of Africa.^{[citation needed]} Previously, black furred felids in the Aberdares had been considered a high altitude adaptation due to absorbing more heat.^{[citation needed]} Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1704x2272, 447 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Guinea pig Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1704x2272, 447 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Guinea pig Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. ... This article is about the species Cavia porcellus. ... A curandero (or curandera for a female) is a traditional folk healer or shaman prevalent in Latin America, and especially in Mexico and in Chicano communities in the southwestern United States. ...

Studies reported in New Scientist magazine in 2003 also suggested that recessive-gene melanism is linked to disease resistance rather than altitude.^{[citation needed]} According to Eduardo Eizirik and Stephen O'Brien of the United States National Cancer Institute in Maryland, the melanism mutations involve the same gene family as those involved in human diseases such as AIDS.^{[citation needed]} Melanistic cats may therefore have better resistance to disease than cats with "normal" colour coats. This would explain why recessive melanism persists when melanistic individuals are disadvantaged due to being poorly camouflaged in open areas. New Scientist is a weekly international science magazine covering recent developments in science and technology for a general English-speaking audience. ... For other uses, see AIDS (disambiguation). ...

In the United States National Cancer Institute studies, black cats were found to have changes to a gene known as MC1R.^{[citation needed]} MC1R is a member of a family of genes that includes the human gene CCR5 which codes for a protein on the cell membrane. This protein is a key allowing in various viruses, including HIV. Melanism could make black cats less susceptible to certain viral infections making melanism an evolutionary advantage.

Pseudo-melanism and abundism

In animal species that normally have black markings on a paler background colour, excessively abundant markings (abundism) which merge or overlap produce an effect called pseudo-melanism. The background colour may still be discerned between the markings, but to the casual observer, or from a distance, the animals appears to be black..

Melanism as a socio-political movement

Further information: Melanin theory, Black supremacy

The term melanism has been used on usenet, internet forums and blogs to mean an African-American social movement holding that dark-skinned humans are in some measures superior to those of other skin colour. The term melanism has been used in this context as early as the mid-1990s^[2] and was promoted by some Afrocentrists, such as Frances Cress Welsing. Black supremacy is the racist belief that blacks are superior to members of other races. ... Black Supremacy is a racist ideology which holds that black people are superior to other races and is sometimes manifested in bigotry towards persons not of African ancestry, particularly white and Jewish people. ... Usenet (USEr NETwork) is a global, decentralized, distributed Internet discussion system that evolved from a general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name. ... A typical Internet forum discussion, with common elements such as quotes and spoiler brackets A page from a forum showcasing emoticons and Internet slang An Internet forum is a web application for holding discussions and posting user generated content. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Languages Predominantly American English Religions Protestantism (chiefly Baptist and Methodist); Roman Catholicism; Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ... American Civil Rights Movement is one of the most famous social movements of the 20th century. ... Historical data for native populations collected by R. Biasutti prior to 1940. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with afrocentricity. ... Frances Cress Welsing (born March 18, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois) is an African American psychiatrist practicing in Washington, D.C.. She is famous for the Cress Theory of Color Confrontation, a theory that explores the practice of White Supremacy. ...

Further reading

• David Attenborough. (2002) The Life of Mammals [TV-Series and book]. United Kingdom: BBC..
• Kettlewell, Bernard (1973). The Evolution of Melanism. Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-857370-7. 
• Majerus, Michael (1998). Melanism: Evolution in Action. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-854982-2. 
• Melanism and disease resistance in insects

Sir David Frederick Attenborough, OM, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS (born on May 8, 1926 in London, England) is one of the worlds best known broadcasters and naturalists. ... The Life of Mammals is a BBC (in conjunction with The Discovery Channel) natural history television series of ten episodes, about mammals, written and presented by David Attenborough, originally transmitted in 2002. ... Dr Henry Bernard Davis Kettlewell (24 February 1907 - 1979) was a British lepidopterist and medical doctor. ... The Evolution of Melanism subtitled A study of recurring necessity with Special Reference to Industrial Melanism in the Lepidoptera is a science book by the lepidopterist Bernard Kettlewell. ... Dr. Michael E. N. Majerus (b. ... Melanism in Action Melanism: Evolution in Action (ISBN 0198549822) is a science book by Dr Mike Majerus, published in 1998. ...

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Melanism

• Leucism
• Vitiligo

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Leucism is characterized by reduced pigmentation, resulting in an individual with white or brighter patches of fur, plumage or skin than in the typical representative of the species. ... Not to be confused with alphos, a form of leprosy once called vitiligo. ...

References