is there any rhyme or reason as to what makes one bobcat more spotted than another? is it age? sex? genetics? area?
just curious
thanks
Return to Lifesize Mammal Taxidermy Category Menu
The southern tier cats tend to be more yellow with more distinct spots because Mother Nature, in her omnipotence, knew that such a pattern would blend well with broken woods, fields, praires, and desert surroundings. In the arboreal northern tier, muted grays blend well with forest shadows. I don't imagine a yellow cat with distinct black spots would last too long in such an area.
It's all genetic (anything an animal expresses outwardly is called the phenotype and is determined as much by DNA as is the size of the lungs), but there is variation according to size, gender, and geography.
Such as: a day-old kitten will look much more spotted because it's coat is concentrated in a smaller area (size) and the hairs have more contrast relative to the animal (age). As the kitten grows, the spots become more distinct and spread out (in cat breeding it's called "acreage").
Some older cats tend to get more spotted (like gray hairs on a person or piebalding of a deer, but in reverse...)
In bobcats, females tend to have more spots in certain regions. (gender)
Check out a good Bengal (house cat) website for tons of info. on cat spots. Talk to doestic cat breeders, they know a lot more about cats in general.
And you had a good commentary until you got stupid with the "piebald" comment. Their colors don't change as they grow older (your analogy of grey hair). Otherwise, you did quite well.
Well not my opinion but a friend of mine has been raising cats for 25 years---lions, tigers, white tigers,bobcat,lynx, ect...I asked him this same exact question a while back and he said the spot pattern is totally sparadic especially on bobcats...he`s bred heavily spotted cats several times and with mixed results...some would come out plain and others would have a nice spot pattern...nothing consistant..
And You are all right. Mind you I Am basing My opinion On general Genetic Information, NOT necessarily Bobcats. Because I have not Actually studied bobcat Genetics. However certain rules always apply. Genetic diversity in a certain area tends to lead throughout evolution to a specific outcome. As George said. Over time nature develops patterns that best suit an environment. Lending to a regional gene pool that favors a specific trait.
Although I would not have used the term DNA. F. Rufus is also correct. to have spots, stripes, patches, or even eye color is determined By genes. Thus if the parent has the spot gene it can pass it on. If it does not it cannot. However one would have to know if the spot gene is dominant or recessive. If dominant, and animal acquiring a single spot gene from either parent will display the pattern. If it is recessive. Then the offspring must acquire the spot gene from each parent. My suspicion is that the spot gene is dominant. Here is what I base this theory on.
I have a friend that breeds cats. A litter from parents with heavy spots, may contain Kittens that have heavy spots, Minimal spots, and no spots. If one considers heavy spotting to be a Homozygous display, then it would stand to reason that both parents carry a double dose of the spot Gene. Thus they would each contribute a spot gene to the offspring. Resulting in a homozygous offspring. However, these parents produce non spotted offspring. So one could conclude that the spot gene is dominant. those that get it display it. Those that get a non spotted gene from each parent. Display no spot pattern.
The intensity of the pattern is random, the same as it is in Painted horses. And the patters can be displayed in it maximum, or minimal form as a result of other genetic markers present in the gene pool. Lending credence to Travis statement that the spot pattern is sporadic.
thanks to all who responded
gary
If you want to get into genetic explanations, you may want to look at other factors than just dominace/recessiveness. Some genes show incomplete or codominance. For example a red and white gene for flower color could produce a pink flower. Many traits are polygenic,(many gene) like human height, where several pairs of genes all influence a given trait. Some traits have multiple alleles,(forms of a gene) such as human blood type that has alleles for the A, B, and O types which in combination determine those basic blood types. Some are sex, or X linked, in which case females and males express traits differently, such as calico cats being female. In this case the genes are located on the sex, X and Y chromosomes in humans, where the male Y chromosome is smaller than the X and is missing a region of genes the X carries. This relates to red/green color vision, which in our case, we are colorblind if we receive one copy of the gene, while females need two copies.(females are XX and have to regions for genes, males are XY and have only one) Also the patterning can be a random occurence due to the random distribution of epidermal cells during development of the embryo.
In house cats it appears after a little Google search that there are 8 different gene loci(locations on chromosomes) for cat fur patterns and that some have paired genes, some multiple allele, some are sex-linked and some show epistasis, where one gene has more of an impact than others. So it can be complicated.
We are Talking about a Known Pattern In a specific species. Not a Random Manifestation of a combination.
Since the tendency of heavy spotting occurs as frequently in Male, as female then we are not discussing Sex specific tendencies. Since the pattern occurs universally among the species. And not as an outcrop. it would be reasonable to assume that it is dictated by a single gene. And is not Polygenic.
Remember we are discussing a specific pattern. Not hypothesizing the possibilities of a cross between parents with different color traits as in domestic cats, and horses.
Although some traits are determined by multiple genes. A pattern that occurs with a great deal of frequency such as spotting usually is associated with a single gene. For example in horses the Overo pattern is dictated by a combination of genes. Therefore it is possible for both parents to carry a portion of the combination, and not display the pattern. however if a mating between the parents passes on the proper genes in the correct sequence. Then the resulting offspring will display the pattern since the overo genes are dominant, a horse that receives them all will display the pattern that is why solid quarter horses will occasionally produce an outcrop overo paint. Now on the other hand the tobiano pattern is governed by a single gene. the tobiano gene is also a dominant gene. If the offspring has it, it will always show. It may show in its minimal form. With simply a small white spot, or white above the knee. but it will show. Therefore parents that do not show tobiano traits. Can never produce offspring that do. By observation it could be concluded that this should be true of the spot pattern in bobcats. However Since all bobcats actually have spotting to some degree. it would be difficult to prove this theory. Even by tracing genetic markers. since there is really no non spotted gene base to compare to. The intensity of spotting May be determined by a dilute gene.
As in the black gene. A specimen possessing the black gene will be black. as it is dominant. However a specimen with the black gene, and the dilute gene will be a diluted black. the black gene manifests itself, but the dilute gene which is also dominant dilutes the black creating a mouse color.
Could One conclude that Bobcats that display spotting in its minimal version have acquired a dilute gene? It is within the realm of possibility. It is also possible that the manifestation of the pattern is simply random based on a number of genetic factors. Genetics, especially those that produce specific color trait are fascinating. Aren't They?