Welcome to The Genetics Guide!
Here, you may read about the different genetic codes we use here at CHRYSOCYON. Please do not post here! If you have any questions, send them to the discord or PM me.
Size
Large, Medium, Small
The size of a chrysocyon is controlled by a single gene- the size gene! The Sz allele codes for larger individuals, while sz codes for smaller.
Large
SzSz
An individual with homozygous
dominant size genes will be
large, standing anywhere from
7 to 9 feet tall at the
shoulders. These chyros are
large enough to be ridden and
used as work animals.
Medium
Szsz
An individual with
heterozygous size genes will
be medium-sized, standing
anywhere from 5 to 7 feet
tall at the shoulders. These
chyros are usually only large
enough to be ridden by small
individuals and children, though
they still make very good work
animals.
Small
szsz
An individual with homozygous
recessive size genes will be
small, standing anywhere from
3 to 5 feet tall at the shoulders.
These chyros can only be ridden
by exceptionally lightweight,
small individuals, and are most
suited as a companion or friend
rather than a working animal.
Base Color
Extension and Dilution
A chyro’s base color is determined by two genes- the extension gene (E), controlling the distribution of eumelanin (black pigment) and pheomelanin (red pigment), and the dilution gene (D), which restricts first red colors, and then black colors.
Extension - If there is a dominant allele present in the extension lotus (EE or Ee) then the chyro will be red. If the chyro is homozygous recessive in the extension lotus (ee), then it will be dark.
Dilution - If there is one dominant allele present in the dilution lotus (Dd), then any red in the chyro’s coat will be lightened, causing a red chyro (EE or Ee) to become fennec, but having virtually no effect on a dark chyro (ee). If the chyro is homozygous dominant in the dilution lotus (DD), then it will be an arctic, no matter what is in the extension lotus.
Fennec
EE/Dd, Ee/Dd
The chyro's base will be a sandy cream color.
Red
EE/dd, Ee/dd
The chyro's base will be a deep red color.
Dark
ee/dd, ee/Dd
The chyro's base will be a deep black.
Arctic
EE/DD, Ee/DD, ee/DD
The chyro's base will be a bright white.
Modifiers
Take Pride in your Colors.
Color modifiers, known sometimes as just color mods, are genes that cause a chyro’s pelt to show in unnatural colors. A single color modifier can affect the chyros base coat or one marking. When presenting on the base coat, any markings can also be affected (up to the artist).
When multiple color modifiers present on one chyro, the artist has a few options. They can either:Or…
- Have one color mod affect the base coat, and the other(s) affect different marking(s),
- Have two or more color mods create a gradient on the base or any one marking,
- Have two or more color mods layer over each other on the base or any one marking, creating a middling hue between them,
Color modifiers affecting the base may have the base coat peek through on the joints (such as the elbows and knees) and/or on the very tips of the points (muzzle, ears, paws, tip of the tail). These “holes” in the modifier’s range must be small, and completely soft-edged/blended.
- Have each color mod affect it’s own marking, leaving the base coat alone.
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Grey
grgr
The chyro's coat will show shades of grey.
Crimson
crcr
The chyro's coat will be vivid.
Dandelion
dldl
The chyro's coat will be yellow.
Horizon
hzhz
The chyro's coat will be blue.
Sunset
susu
The chyro's coat will be orange.
Verdant
vdvd
The chyro's coat will be green.
Violet
vlvl
The chyro's coat will be purple.
Markings
The Main Course
Markings must always mix well with the base and the other markings. Unless the chyro has a color modifier, they should be naturally colored, and never become too saturated.
A marking that is specified to be lighter or darker is a base-dependent marking, and must match the base in hue. This means that if the base is affected by a color modifier, any base-dependent markings will be the same modified hue as the base, unless they are affected by another color modifier.
A marking that is not specified as light or dark is an independent marking. These markings may be any natural color, and will not be affected when a color modifier changes the base.
Sabino: Any geno may have a small amount of white on it, regardless of it’s genetics, similar to white marks on horses or mice. You may use Sabino to color a small part of the chyro white- such as one paw, a small chest locket, or it’s tailtip. You may only use one of these spots listed, or a similarly small spot. Sabino is always white or near-white, and layers atop every other marking.
This is a link to the image guides for marking ranges. if a marking isn’t present here, it covers any/all parts of a chyro. Use this guide along with the marking examples to better understand what a marking is supposed to look like!
Appaloosa
Apap, ApAp
A marking that causes the back
end of a chyro to be covered in
a white, holed marking.
Aardwolf
Aa, AA
A marking that causes a few short
stripes to appear over the backside.
Agouti
Aiai, AiAi
A dark marking that causes the
chyro to have stripes similar to
domestic tabby cats (can be any
tabby).
Brindle
Blbl, BlBl
A dark marking that makes the
base color mottled or brindled
with a second color.
Badger
Bdbd, BdBd
A dark marking that causes
stripes to start at the eyes and
move horizontally down the
chyro’s body, next to the
spine.
Banded
Baba, BaBa
A dark marking that causes
vertical stripes along the chyro's
body.
Chest
Ctct, CtCt
A light marking that causes a
splash of color on the chest.
Bubble
Bubu, BuBu
A gene that causes ringlike
markings. They may not span
over more than 25% of the chyro.
Cheetah
Chch, ChCh
A marking that causes small,
circular spots to appear on the
chyro’s coat.
Daub
Dbdb, DbDb
A marking that causes large,
dark patches with an optional
light outline.
Crescent
Cscs, CsCs
A marking that causes small crescents
to fade out over the chyro’s back.
Dapple
Dada, DaDa
A marking resembling horse
dappling that sits over all
others at a low opacity.
Freckles
Frfr, FrFr
A marking that causes tiny
speckles to appear on the coat.
Dunstripe
Dndn, DnDn
A dark stripe that runs down the
spine of the chyro.
Fox
Fxfx, FxFx
A dark gene that causes small,
fox-like markings on the face
and toes.
Marbled
Mbmb, MbMb
A marking that causes a second
natural color to be blended in
with the base, giving it a soft,
painted texture.
Half
Hfhf, HfHf
A gradient marking that can cover
up to half of the chyro. It can be
lighter or darker in color than the
base and markings it layers on top of.
Hood
Hdhd, HdHd
A marking that covers the neck
and head of the chyro.
Piebald
Pipi, PiPi
A white marking that covers up
all others, with small holes and
patches showing the design
underneath.
Ocelot
Ococ, OcOc
A dark marking that causes
horizontal stripes to appear on
the side of a chyro, which break
into rosettes on the legs.
Patches
Papa, PaPa
A dark marking that causes large
splotches to appear along the
chyro’s back and sides.
Roan
Rnrn, RnRn
A gene that causes the main body
of the chyro to be lightened, while
the points remain the original colors,
similar to roaning in horses. May have
"roanspots" where the roan dilution is
erased.
Points
Pp, PP
A marking that can lighten or
darken the tail, feet, face and
ears of a chyro.
Ring
Rgrg, RgRg
A marking that can cause up to
three thick stripes winding
around the chryo's limbs, neck
or torso.
Shatter
Shsh, ShSh
A gene that causes a dark,
web-like marking to spread
over the coat, shaped similarly
to cracked glass or water
shadows.
Rosettes
Roro, RoRo
A dark marking akin to a leopard’s
spots.
Sable
Sasa, SaSa
A dark marking over the back,
can be blurred or hard-edged.
Underbelly
Uu, UU
A marking that turns the underside,
paws, and tip of the tail a lighter
color than the base.
Socks
Sksk, SkSk
Blended or hard edged leg markings.
Streaks
Stst, StSt
A gene that causes long,
horizontal stripes along the
side of the chyro.
Mutations
Mutations are recessive genes that affect an individual's coat. They can be randomly rolled when breeding.
Albinism
abab
A genetic mutation preventing color
from presenting in the coat. The
chyro is always white, with pink flesh,
and blue or pink eyes.
Melanism
mlml
A genetic mutation that causes
the chyro to over-produce
pigment, resulting in a pure
black individual.
Erythrism
erer
A genetic mutation causing the
chyro’s coat to be saturated in
red pigment, turning the base
and every marking shades of
orange/brown.
Chimerism
A mutation in which two different embryos fuse in the
womb, causing the resulting offspring to show two
different genoypes in it's coat. There is no gene for this
mutation, it is only a random-chance event when breeding.
Vitiligo
vivi
A genetic mutation that causes the fur of a
chyro to loose color over time, starting in
small speckles that eventually grow to large
patches.
