OVERVIEW
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Hooded locus:
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Other loci:
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Hooded locus
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Self / UnmarkedGenotype: HH
AFRMA: Color is to be even over the entire body, extending to the skin, and including the underparts, ears, feet and tail. Non-agouti based would be called Self while Agouti based would be called Unmarked. Common faults: White toes and ankles. |
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English IrishGenotype: h^ih^i
Other possible genotype: Hh^i (often presents with less white) AFRMA: White equilateral triangle on chest with front feet white and back feet white to half their length. The triangle on chest to be of good size, clear and devoid of brindling, not to extend in a streak down the belly but occupying all the space between the front legs. The body color shall conform to a recognized color. Common faults: Too little or too much white. The white triangle can be wildly uneven. Double spots, often referred to by some as "Double Irish" (*cringe*), is a common fault that while appearing different, is just a mismarked English Irish, nothing more. |
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IrishGenotype: Hh
Other possible genotypes: h^ih (often present with messy, uneven lines) Other names: American Berkshire or European Berkshire NRFS: Irish rats may be shown in any recognized color. The top color is to be judged as to the respective color. Distinctive markings are the white underside, with four white feet and a white tail tip. The under marking should be a pure clean white, of moderate size and as even in shape as possible, not extending onto the legs, sides, or chest. The white feet should resemble the stops on a Dutch rabbit. The tail should be colored for most of its length, with a white tip of no more than one-fourth of its total length. Common faults: Because Irish is a phenotype and not a genotype there will be a lot of mismarked varieties, and some might say that Irish is just a Berkshire with too little white on the belly which in some cases are true. Some claim that h^ih^i and Hh^i can produce Irish, but this is something I have yet to experience with my own English Irish rats (multiple lines). |
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BerkshireGenotype: Hh
Other possible genotype: h^ih, h^ih^i, Hh^e & Hh^n AFRMA: Berkshire rats may be shown in any recognized color. The top color is to be judged as to the recognized color. Distinctive markings are the colored top with a completely white belly and white feet and tail, with a small white spot between the ears. There should be an even line between the top and bottom color. The white markings should be a pure clean white. Common faults: Too little or too much white that messes with the crips lines of the Berkshire marking. "Kissing spots" are quite common too, they are simply small colored spots within the white belly marking; these are not indicative of Downunder but just a fault in the marking. When you have overmarked English Irish, h^ih^i, they will mimic Berkshire because the entire belly is white, but these will never be able to produce Self (HH) or Hooded (hh), unlike true Berkshire rats. |
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Blazed BerkshireGenotype: Hh^e & Hh^n
Other possible genotypes: Dws* (Dominant White Spotting locus) AFRMA: Blazed rats may be shown only in Berkshire or Variegated classes in any recognized color. A wedge shaped blaze of white should run from muzzle to ears including the whisker beds, tapering to a fine point at the ears. Other markings as for respective pattern. |
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VariberkGenotype: Hh^e, Hh^n, h^ih^e & h^ih^n
Unstandardized variety in the US. Solid colored back with no breaks or variegation. Variegation to border the white belly, but not extending onto the back or around the neck. Headspot or Blaze is expected. |
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VariegatedGenotype: h^ih^e & h^ih^n
Other possible genotypes: Hh^e & Hh^n (often present with colored specks and a solid colored dorsal lines) AFRMA: Variegated rats to be shown in any recognized color and are similar to Hooded rats but instead of a spine marking, will have patches and flecks of color on the back side. The head and shoulders to be solid like those of a Hooded rat with a white spot/star on the forehead which should be centrally placed, round or oval in shape, and no bigger than the rat’s eye. The variegation (patches and flecks of color) to evenly cover the rest of the white body from the shoulders to the tail including the sides and tail. Underside (including belly, chest, and throat) to be white, devoid of creamy tinge or staining. |
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Capped NotchGenotype: h^nh^n
Other possible genotype: h^eh^e & h^eh^n (may results in more uneven lines and intermingling white hairs) Description is identical to AFRMA's Capped with the added description that they should have a white scallop shaped spot between the ears. |
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CappedGenotype: h^eh^n, h^eh & h^nh
AFRMA: Capped rats may be shown in any recognized color. The body should be a pure clean white, free from spots or brindling, with a colored head. The color should be confined to the head area only, not appearing on the throat area. The cap should be free of ragged edges or brindling, follow the line of the lower jawbone in an even line and not extend past the ears. |
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PatchedGenotype: h^eh^e
Other possible genotype: h^eh^n & h^nh^n (Description coming...) |
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MaskedGenotype: h^eh^e
Other possible genotypes: h^eh^n & h^nh^n AFRMA: Masked rats may be shown in any recognized color. The body is to be a pure, clean white, free from spots or brindling. A colored mask to cover the face, to include just around the eyes and above the nose, not to extend down the sides of the face onto the jowls or under the chin. |
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BEWGenotype: h^eh^e
(Description coming...) |
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HoodedGenotype: hh
AFRMA: Hooded rats may be shown in any recognized color. The sides, legs, and feet should be a pure clean white, free from spots or brindling. The hood should cover the head, neck, and shoulders without a break, showing no white on the throat or chin, and should run in an even line around the body. The spine marking should extend in an unbroken line from the hood to the tail, be of moderate width, and be free of ragged edges or brindling. The tail should be colored at the base, then white to the end. |
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BarebackGenotype: h^nh & h^eh
Other possible genotypes: hh (selectively bred for more white, essentially removing the dorsal line) AFRMA: Bareback rats may be shown in any recognized color and will have markings like the Hooded rat but without a spine marking. The back, sides, legs, and feet should be a pure, clean white, free from spots or brindling. The hood should cover the head, neck, and shoulders without a break, showing no white on top of head, throat, or chin, and should run in an even line around the body. |
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EssexGenotype: HH^ro
Lethal dominant gene AFRMA: To be recognized in any standard color, remembering that the effect of the gene responsible is to lighten the top color. The darkest area is along the spine, becoming less intense down the sides of the animal. The gradual fading of color continues onto the belly which is off white, with no spotting of darker color. When viewed from above, the fading effect should be symmetrical, having no clear demarcation. The fading effect also to be seen on the legs so that the feet are also off white. There should be no obvious patches of contrasting color. Pied tails not to be penalized. A head spot is essential; this must be well defined, centrally placed on the forehead and symmetrical. Picture from Exotic Whiskers Rattery |
Andre loci / Other loci
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Roan / Husky locusGenotype: roro
Will combine with what ever is on the H-locus to create the Roan marking. NFRS: A strikingly marked bi-colour variety, with roan colouration, symmetry and contrast being important impressions. Clearly distinct from existing marked varieties. Roans are born solid coloured, but from the age of about 4-6 weeks they start to exhibit roaning. This is a steady increase in the number of white hairs intermingled with the solid colour, starting with the face, sides and tail root on the juvenile, then working its way up to the nape of the neck with the moult. With each moult the rat becomes progressively lighter, the final effect not really complete until the rat is well into adulthood. The roan effect is most pronounced on the face, around the rump and the sides. Pattern: The Roan shall have as symmetrical markings as possible. The underside should be completely white. Head: A wide inverted V shaped blaze, including the whisker bed, coming as close to the eyes as possible without touching the eyes, and coming to a point between the ears. Jaw line and underside of the head must be white. Eye colour to conform to base colour standard. Body: From the head, the colour runs back covering the ears and continues along the body extending down the sides. Belly to be white. Tail: Unmarked tail preferred. Faults: White spots in coloured fur/ coloured spots in white fur. Brindled demarcation line. Lack of white on face and head or a completely white face or head. |
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Dalmatian locusGenotype: Daldal
Lethal dominant gene Will combine with what ever is on the H-locus to create the Dalmatian marking. AFRMA: Dalmatian rats may be shown in any recognized color. Markings will be similar to the Variegated mice with color splashes/spots on a white background, and free from any solid clear-cut markings. The splashes should be numerous and ragged in outline, but approximately equal in size, and well distributed over the entire body. Dalmatian is known as a mild fading gene because it lightens the base color, and has a lot of intermingling white hairs. Dalmatian doesn't always present as spotted and blazed, they may present as Berkshire with a headspot as well - West Coast Rattery posted a beautiful picture of an atypical Dalmatian. Pictures from RiffRaff Rex Rattery |
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DWS (Dominant White Spotting) locusGenotype: Dwsdws & DwsDws
Dominant gene Will combine with what ever is on the H-locus to create the DWS marking. Also known as Dominant Blaze and formerly known as High White. Description: DWS markings can result in multiple markings, all of which are affected by the genotype present on the Hooded locus. DWS markings include:
DWS markings may mimic many Hooded locus markings, so DWS can be less obvious and hard to spot. Pictures from RiffRaff Rex Rattery |
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Downunder locusGenotype: Dwudwu
Genotype vary depending on club/country Will combine with what ever is on the H-locus to create the Downunder marking. AFRMA: Down Under rats may be shown in any recognized color and markings with Vari-Capped allowed only in Down Under class, adhering to the standard for that marking, with the exception of English Irish, Irish, Masked, or Essex as Down Under doesn’t display visibly with these markings. To have standard markings on the topside of the rat and corresponding belly stripe or spots. A belly stripe is to be as solid and symmetrical as possible and not contain any white spots. Belly spots are to be numerous and evenly distributed. Vari-Capped Down Unders to be Capped rats with the addition of spotting down the spine and sides like a Variegated rat plus the addition of the spotting on the belly. Pictures from RiffRaff Rex Rattery |
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Whiteside locusGenotype: wsws
Will combine with what ever is on the H-locus to create the Whiteside marking. Pictures from RiffRaff Rex Rattery |
