Agouti

From Freepedia

Agouti refers to a number of species of rodents, as well as a number of genes affecting coat coloration in several different animals.

• When referring to a rodent, agouti can mean:
  • those popularly called agoutis or common agoutis (genus Dasyprocta).
  • those of the genus Agouti (also called Cuniculus); mainly Agouti paca, the Paca.
  • those of the family Dasyproctidae, which, besides the common agoutis and the pacas, includes the Acouchis.

• The term agouti refers to animals with banded, or brindled, fur — each individual guard hair is not one solid color but instead has "stripes" of (usually) black, brown and white producing an animal which is not a solid color but appears speckled or brindled. Animals commonly displaying an agouti color phase are mice and rabbits.
  • The agouti gene is responsible for the bay coloring of horses. It acts on the black base coat (see Equine coat color genetics) to restrict the black only to the horse's points (mane, tail, lower legs).
  • The agouti gene refers to the specific gene in a cat which gives it a tabby (striped) fur-coat pattern; see also bicolor cat.