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My scientific specialty is chronobiology (circadian rhythms and photoperiodism), with additional interests in comparative physiology, animal behavior and evolution. I am not an MD so I cannot diagnose and treat your sleep problems. As well as writing this blog, I am also the Online Discussion Expert for PLoS. This is a personal blog and opinions within it in no way reflect the policies of PLoS. You can contact me at: Coturnix@gmail.com

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« Heat and Flow | Main | The Mooney Experience »

On the Window Sill

Category: Personal
Posted on: October 29, 2006 7:10 PM, by Coturnix

Marbles (left) and Biscuit (right):

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Here's a biology question. You can find all sorts of information on cat coat colors in genetic texts and online. Tabby vs. plain, white with/without deafness, calico and tortoiseshell, agouti, yellow vs. gray, Persian, etc., etc. Everything but how the tuxedo pattern comes about. Do embryonic melanocytes stop short of the ends of the limbs, belly/chest, chin/lip when they migrate away from the neural crest during development? If so, why? Why do cats often have a black tip to the tail but rarely a white one, when dogs often have both? Do melanocytes somehow pile up at the end of the neural crest to make a black tip on tails? Other domestic animals, have the tuxedo pattern and countershaded wild mammals have a sort of tuxedo pattern. Why do some mammals, e.g. ratel Mellivora capensis have a black belly? What gives here?

Posted by: cfrost | October 29, 2006 8:31 PM

That is way out of my area of expertise, although something about developmental timing may be implicated in some of these patterns. This is something that Razib should know better.

Posted by: coturnix | October 29, 2006 9:11 PM

Those are two very handsome kitties.
-gfl

Posted by: GerryL | October 29, 2006 11:35 PM