Abstract
Abstract: Coloration anomalies are mainly genetically-based disorders in which body pigmentation is either reduced (hypopigmentation) or produced in excess (melanism), in parts or the totality of the body. Cases of hypopigmentation have been documented in many neotropical mammals, including the tayra (Eira barbara Linnaeus, 1758). We expand the account of anomalous coloration occurrence presenting new registers of hypopigmented tayras in Brazil. Data was collected during a mammal survey carried out in three agricultural landscapes within the Cerrado domain in the northeast of the state of São Paulo. We obtained two kinds of records of hypopigmented tayras, one from direct sighting and the other from a camera-trap. We discuss the likely implications of this conspicuous coloration to tayras and highlight some possibilities of study.
Highlights
Animal coloration is widely involved in life processes such as concealment, communication, physiological regulation and sexual selection (Caro 2005)
Variation is attributed to colour anomalies that occur when integumentary pigments are present in excess or deficient in parts or in totality of the body, being described as melanism, piebaldism, hypomelanism, leucism and albinism (Prota 1980, Fertl & Rosel 2002, Lucati & Lopez-Baucells 2016)
Leucism is a condition in which body pigmentation is fully absent, but differently from albinism, the eyes of leucistic animals retain normal coloration (Lucati & Lopez-Baucells 2016)
Summary
Animal coloration is widely involved in life processes such as concealment, communication, physiological regulation and sexual selection (Caro 2005). Leucism is a condition in which body pigmentation is fully absent, but differently from albinism, the eyes of leucistic animals retain normal coloration (Lucati & Lopez-Baucells 2016).
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