The black coat in leopards is due to recessive alleles in the ASIP gene, while in jaguars, it is due to the presence of a dominant allele in the MC1R gene. Both gene arrangements lead to high eumelanin production (the type of melanin responsible for black and brown coloration). In addition, diffuse light may cause the coat to appear totally black in some individuals. This can be misleading, since in full sunlight, faint spotted patterns, or ghost rosettes, may be visible instead.
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