A record of a melanistic rusty-spotted genet (Genetta maculata) from the White River area, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.

Abstract

Melanism, the result of a genetic mutation lead-ing to increased melanin production (Eizirik et al.,2003), is a fairly prevalent phenomenon in Carni-vora (e.g. Felidae – Corá, Marocco, Favretto,Onghero Jr & Ticiani,2021 [Leopardus guttulus]; Elizalde, Castells, de Freitas, Groom & Durant, 2020 [Leptailurus serval ]; Schneider et al., 2012 [Panthera pardus and Pardofelis temminckii ]; Canidae – Islam, Boug, Sheheri & Gonçalves da Silva, 2019 [Canis lupus arabs]; Mustelidae –Drouilly, Horion & Henshel, 2022 [Mellivora capensis]). Pelage pattern and colouration is known to impact a number of biological functions including camouflage (Ortolani, 1999), disease susceptibility (Cubaynes et al., 2022), thermo-regulation (Hoekstra, 2006), inter- and/or intra-specific signalling (Caro, 2005) and the ability to adapt to changing environments (Da Silva et al.,2017). Despite its potentially significant impact on biological functions of individual animals, reports of melanism in Viverridae remain mostly anecdotal or infrequent (Barros, Ledesma & Moeira, 2014; Delibes, Mezan-Muxart & Calzada, 2013).