Melanism

Melanism

In a literal contrast to dilution is melanism. Melanism darkens riardi's fur by adding more melanin, rather than taking pigment away like dilution and double-dilution do. It expresses itself through being inherited by one or both parents, and a defective copy triggers the partial melanism effect. A full inherited copy delivers its full impact to the affected individual.

Full melanism in riardi produces black pigmentation from mid-shaft to the tip of every one of the riardi's hairs. It darkens every color on their body twice-over as well. They may become fully black-furred due to full melanism, or they may have the uniform ticked effect that melanism produces if the color is still lighter or mid-hue in general. These riardi still will have visible color in bright lighting. Riardi who would otherwise be one color lighter than the darkest color in any given color range receives black fur instead. Full melanism always creates and retains the uniformly-frosted effect.

Partial melanism darkens the riardi's fur by one shade, and only strikes half (ex: two colors in a four-color pattern) of the total marking colors on the individual, or on their base fur coloration only but not their markings. Partial melanism may or may not add the frosted effect which full melanism creates. This is a creative choice for you when making your character.

Melanism's Unusual Behaviors

Riardi with melanism can carry the ultra-bright mutation. However, it will also render their melanism completely dormant, unless they have the polar mutation. Should this be the case, ultra-bright also will not activate, and they will resemble their 'normal' coloration. If they do have the polar mutation, see "Mutation: Polar".

Ore riardi experience melanism slightly differently. Although silver ore riardi gain the black frosted effect on their fur, copper riardi’s frost becomes the chrysocolla color, and bronze riardi gain an umber frost. Gold riardi gain a bronze tarnish. Partial melanism has absolutely no effect on ore riardi’s metallic colors, and only strikes on their grey color range.

See Mutation: Polar for “Immunity to Melanism”.