AFRMA

American Fancy Rat & Mouse Association

Fancy Rat Genes, Alphabetical Name Listing

Black-based Colors


For more rat genetics, see the AFRMA Rat Genetics book, specific articles listed with the various standards descriptions, and the articles on the Info Pages: Breeding – Colors/GeneticsRat Genetics, part 1, Rat Genetics, part 2, Rat Genetics, part 3. See also the Rat Biology article Where do Rat Coat Colors Come From?
See the AFRMA Rat Color Standards book and the Standards pages for photos.

Go to Fancy Rat Genes, Alphabetical Name Listing for a complete list.

Go to Fancy Rat Genes, Agouti-based Colors,
Fancy Rat Genes, Marked Rats, or
Fancy Rat Genes, Coats & Misc.

See also Fancy Rat Genes, Genetic Code Listing for breakdowns by genetic code.


A  B  C  D  H  I  L  M  P  R  S  W

Black-based Colors
A
Albinocc (covers up the actual color/marking so can be either an agouti-based or black-based color; a.k.a. P.E. White)
Aussie Minkaa momo
(see page 7 of the article)
B
Beigeaa rr or aa bb rr
(ruby-eyed Black; Buff U.K.)
Blackaa
Blueaa gg*
(selected for dark shade)
Blue-Beigeaa dd rr
Buff (U.K.)aa rr or aa bb rr
(Beige U.S.)
Burmeseaa cech+
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Burmese: Blueaa cech+ gg
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Burmese: Russian Blueaa cech+ dd
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Burmese: Sableaa cece+
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
C
Champagneaa B– pp
(P.E. Black)
Champagne: paleaa bb pp
(P.E. Chocolate)
Champagne: dark–eyedaa B– mm rr
Chocolateaa bb or aa bb Rr or aa BB Rr
Cocoaaa bb mm (Coffee in U.K.),
aa bb mm Rr, aa Bb mm Rr,
aa Bb mm Rr (Havana in U.K.)
Coffee U.S.? (coffee with cream/gray-brown color)
Coffee U.K.aa bb mm
(See also Hawthorn Rat Varieties: Coffee)
D
Doveaa gg mm*, aa bb gg*
H
Havana: U.K.aa Bb mm Rr
Himalayan: Black-eyed Seal Pointaa cici+
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Himalayan: B.E. Blue Pointaa cici+ gg*
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Himalayan: B.E. Russian Blue Pointaa cici+ dd
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Himalayan: Blue Pointaa chc gg*
Himalayan: Russian Blue Pointaa chc dd
Himalayan: Seal Pointaa chc
I
Ivory/B.E. Creamcic+
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
L
Lilacaa mm or aa amam
(selected for lighter color)
See photos from 1978 of original U.S.A. Lilac male Hershey and here, owned by Karen Hauser. He was found in a pet shop in Riverside, CA.
Lilac U.K.aa bb gg mm Rr*; see also Hawthorn Rat Varieties: Lilac
M
Martenaa cmcm#
Marten: Himiaa cmch#
(Marten with points)
Merle: Mink/Lilacaa mm Me– pepe* or aa amam Me– pepe*
Merle: Pearlaa mm Me– Pepe*
(selected for most of the hair shaft to be white)
Merle: Silver Mink/Lilacaa mm Me– Pepe* or aa amam Me– pepe*
(selected for colored hair shafts)
Minkaa mm
(selected for darker color)
P
Platinum: black-eyedaa bb gg*
Platinum: pink-eyedaa bb gg pp*
Platinum: ruby-eyedaa gg mm*
Pearlaa mm Pepe
(selected for most of the hair shaft to be white; is a dominant lethal)
Powder Blueaa gg*
(selected for light shade)
R
Russian Blueaa dd
Russian Doveaa dd mm, aa bb dd gg*, aa dd gg mm*, aa bb dd
Russian Dove: pink-eyedaa dd mm pp, aa bb dd gg pp*, aa dd gg mm pp*,
aa bb dd pp
Russian Dove Pearl New!aa dd mm Pepe, aa dd amam Pepe
Russian Platinumaa bb dd gg*, aa dd gg mm*, aa bb dd, aa dd mm
Russian Silveraa dd gg pp*, aa bb dd gg pp*, aa bb dd gg mm pp*, aa dd pp
S
Siamese: Black-eyed Seal Pointaa chci+
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Siamese: B. E. Blue Pointaa chci+ gg*
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Siamese: B. E. Russian Blue Pointaa chci+ dd*
(similar to extreme dilute gene in mice)
Siamese: Blue Pointaa chch gg*
Siamese: Chocolate Pointaa bb chch
Siamese: Russian Blue Pointaa chch dd
Siamese: Seal Pointaa chch
Siamese Sable: light/show versionaa csc#
Siamese Sable: mediumaa csch#
Siamese Sable: dark (shown as Sable)aa cscs#
Silveraa gg pp*
(P.E. Blue)
Silver Blackaa B–
(selected for silvering)
Silver Blueaa dd gg* or aa dd gg mm?*
Silver Chocolateaa bb
(selected for silvering)
Silver Lilacaa mm Pepe or aa amam Pepe
(selected for colored hair shafts and lighter color)
Silver Minkaa mm Pepe
(selected for colored hair shafts and darker color)
Sky Blueaa gg*
(medium shade)
W
White: black-eyedhehe or any h
(marked selected for no spots; in either agouti-based or black-based color)
Note: could also be slsl (Spotting Lethal); these suffer from aganglionic megacolon associated with white coat color, usually BEW but occasionally have small spot on head and hips and die usually within first week to 35 days after birth New!
White: pink-eyedcc (albino; covers up the actual color/marking so can be either an agouti-based or black-based color) Note: extremely diluted P.E. Self colors or a P.E. Marked with all markings bred off can look like a P.E. White

C: Albino Locus (Burmese)+ (codes by Nichole Royer)
CFull color (no dilution)
ce+Extreme dilute
chAcromelanism (Himalayan/Siamese)
ci+Intense dilute
cAlbino (Pink-Eyed White)

C: Albino Locus (Marten and Siamese Sable)# (codes by Nicole Housel)
CFull color (no dilution)
cm#Marten
cs#Siamese Sable
chAcromelanism (Himalayan/Siamese)
cAlbino (Pink-Eyed White)

Note: Many rat colors/varieties have not been studied by geneticists so codes are given by fancy rat genetics experts or are unknown

Note: Capital letter=dominant genes unless otherwise noted; lower case letter=recessive genes

“–” means that either the dominant or recessive allele could occupy that space without affecting the outcome

* = g or Me or Dal code by Nichole Royer

** = Cscs Fyfy code by Ann Storey, N.F.R.S.

+ = ce or ci code by Nichole Royer

++ = Hro code by Sheila Sowter, N.F.R.S.

# = cm or cs code by Nicole Housel

? = genetics unknown

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Updated October 9, 2022