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← American Chinchilla LibraryConservation Legacy original · Breed-specific · Scientific identity

Coat bands are a phenotype, not a census

Knowledge for understanding and preserving American Chinchilla.

American Chinchilla1 minute readSources reviewed October 4, 2026
Archival Heavyweight Chinchilla doe, the historical American Chinchilla type, printed page 54 of the 1928–1929 guidebook. Original scan includes a white obstruction near the tail. Historical monochrome photograph; not a current pedigree record.
Archival Heavyweight Chinchilla doe, the historical American Chinchilla type, printed page 54 of the 1928–1929 guidebook. Original scan includes a white obstruction near the tail. Historical monochrome photograph; not a current pedigree record. Edwin H. Stahl courtesy credit · American Rabbit and Cavy Breeders Association · ARBA Digital Library · Public domain in the United States · published 1928 · License terms

The gray appearance of a Chinchilla coat results from pigmentation within the hairs. University extension identifies TYR at the C-series and explains the chinchilla effect on agouti hair bands. This supports a discussion of the coat, but it does not establish how much genetic diversity remains among American Chinchilla breeding families.

Evidence & further reading

Sources behind this article

This is original Conservation Legacy teaching informed by the sources below. Follow the official material for the full account and its context.

  1. Oregon State University Extension — rabbit coat color genes ↗