Quote Originally Posted by Rhasputin View Post
Would you agree that the Merle gene in rats (lets say Me/* for argument's sake) is dominant? Or would you say it's (me/me) recessive?

It also sounds a bit like it's not so much 'merle', but splashed, like in mice. Splashed in mice is caused by a dominant gene (Spl/*) in addition to any c-dilution gene (ce c cch etc). It also shows up differently depending on the dilution level of the mice, which is similar to your 'light phase' and 'dark phase' merles. In mice, merle isn't really affected like that, and isn't connected to a dilution gene either. So if 'merle' in rats is connected to the dilution mink gene, would it be a stretch to say it's similar (if not identical) to the splashed gene in mice? Rather than calling it merle?

Everyone is calling it merle, not just you, so it's not necessarily incorrect terminology (since everyone is doing it), but I feel like it's the wrong name for the gene personally.



Edit: More info on splashed in mice. A splashed mouse is a diluted base colour with 'splashes' of colour that are not diluted. This is very similar to these rats.

Here's some splashed mice:

http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/...B/DSCN4383.jpg

http://www.thefunmouse.com/varieties...plashedlg2.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...1/CIMG8629.jpg
I'm quite jealous that Merle mice are so much nicer (in general) than Merle Rats. Makes me want to get some mice. lol

Pearl is lethal dominant, Merle is dominant (incomplete, I believe), in rats. It is not linked to the c-locus though, only to mm (Mink, both US and UK Mink can Merle).

Light Phase/Dark Phase Pearl depends on how much the Pearl gene is able to express. Lighter the Pearl, nicer the Merle, imo. But Merle is in no way linked to Pearl.

As I said in the original post, Merle in rats isn't the same as it is traditionally. I agree that it's not quite Merle, but the rat fancy has been calling them Merle since far before I started breeding. I own Blue Merle Rough Coat Collies, so..I can certainly wish the rats would looked like them (or mice). Then again, if I remember correctly, Merles aren't the same in mice as they are dogs. So, I guess rat breeders are just going on the "wishful thinking/hoping" route. lol