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? asked in Science & MathematicsZoology · 9 years ago

Do albino deer lose pigmentation in their antlers?

In fact, does any animal with horns or antlers lose pigmentation in them when albinism occurs?

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  • 9 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Albinism is the inability of the skin to produce melanin, which is pigmentation. The skin of an albino therefore appears white, due to lack of the light absorbing pigment melanin. Deer antlers are covered with velvet when they first start to grow, so they look the same color as the rest of the animal, i.e. white. As the antler reach their maximum size, blood supply is cut off and the skin dies and peels off, leaving an antler that is dead bone, and the same color as bone, which is not quite white colored. A white deer will have antlers that is slightly darker than its skin.

    Rhino horns are made of the same material as their finger nails but they do have mineral deposits in them to strengthen them, so I reckon the horns of a rhino should also be slightly darker than its skin. The horns of other animals, such as cows, are made of bone. Therefore the color of an albino's horns won't change, and should look like the horns of cows with normal skin.

    http://grandpacliff.com/Animals/Img-Animals/Img-Al...

  • Anonymous
    9 years ago

    There isn't any to "lose".

    Mutation cause complete lack-genetically.

    & white is NOT albino.

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