Curious about melanistic gray squirrels

• by escholzia

  We have melanistic gray squirrels in my area of California, but they are pure black - never mottled. They are very common in my area, making up about a third of all tree squirrels. Is this a different mutation from the one you are asking us to look for?

  Posted April 7, 2015 8:05 PM

• by mason_UWI scientist

  It is very likely the same mutation. I wrote a blog post regarding melanism in different species a while back.

  Melanistic squirrels in Chicago are often pure black as well, but are no where near as common.

  Posted April 8, 2015 7:02 PM

• by escholzia

  OK, cool. I thought the absence of partial melanism might imply different dominance.

  Posted April 8, 2015 7:33 PM

• by octopus.gallery

  They were also transported around the country as curiosities. The black squirrels in the DC area were imported from Canada. History of DC squirrels

  Posted April 24, 2015 9:59 PM

• by escholzia

  The ones in my area were introduced to Stanford University in the 19th century. There's an urban legend that they're lab mutations. I call them "squirrels from Mordor", but most people think they're cute.

  Posted April 28, 2015 8:24 PM