Re: albinism & melanism (aka ebony & ivory?)

[Ronald Orenstein <ornstn@home.com>]

>On the same thought, is melanism documented in reptiles and birds? It's
>pretty common in mammals (like all the black squirrels around PLS, right
>Dr. Holtz? :-) but I don't recall ever seeing something like a black
>alligator.
>
>Andrea Kirk

Melanism (or at least the presence of dark morphs in a population) is
common in some groups of birds, particularly jaegers and hawks (eg
Swainson's Hawk); a particularly striking example is the black morph of the
Papuan Lory (Charmosyna papou).
--
Ronald I. Orenstein                           Phone: (905) 820-7886
International Wildlife Coalition              Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116
1825 Shady Creek Court                 
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 3W2          mailto:ornstn@home.com