WHITE SERIES and WHITE SERIES COMBINATIONS
The white series of the red fox refers to all colorations that occur in the WW (white locus) color factor of the red fox in the Scandinavian system of color gene categorization. ww is the recessive, dormant form of the gene.
Most of the white series mutations are either partially or completely lethal in heterozygous form, resulting in reduced litter sizes due to embryonic death, or kits born sickly that rarely reach adolescence. This effect is similar to “lethal white syndrome” in white horses and dogs, particularly in certain breeds such as Australian shepherds. In this color guide, any color name with the ‼ symbol next to it denotes that the gene is lethal in heterozygous form, and the color should not be bred to another fox of the same color, or of another color that is also lethal in that form. For example, white marks, platinum and Georgian white foxes all should not be bred to one another. This holds true for any of these colorations regardless of the base color; e.g. a gold platinum is not safe to breed to a pearl white mark. As the gene is dominant, the most direct way to reproduce the color is to simply breed a fox displaying the color with a fox that lacks the gene. For example, breeding a white mark to a silver will result in a 1:1 litter proportion of silvers and white marks. |
WHITE SERIES
W = White face/whitemark(Hovebrender platinum) Wp = Platinum (Mons platinum) WMw = Marble (arctic marble) WGw = Georgian white (Snow mutant) Combination types: WMWM = White marble (white arctic marble) WpWM = Marble platinum |
WHITE MARK
White mark- Ww
(White mark, White face, Hovbrender platinum, ringneck[?])
The amount of white present on the body of the fox as well as the variation of how dark the underlying color is can cause this color to be mistaken for platinum, and individuals with only “minute markings” can resemble a fox without the white mark gene present at all. In comparison to a platinum, generally speaking, white mark foxes have smaller areas of the body that are white than platinum, and whitemark generally preserves the under lying color of the fox rather than diluting it (as opposed to platinum, which does). Whitemark is also known as “white face” or “Hovbrender platinum”. It is unclear if ringneck foxes are the same as whitemark, but it’s inheritance behaves the same as whitemark and platinum. Ringneck is distinguished from whitemark as having a white collar and a larger white tail tip like platinum, but the color on which it occurs remains relatively untouched whereas platinum dilutes the color. For the purpose of this color guide, ringneck is considered a variation of whitemark.
Heterochromia can occur in this coloration, resulting in odd colored eyes, such as one eye being blue and the other being brown, or the iris being partially brown or blue. These foxes can also have blue eyes. In addition, the noses of white mark foxes can be partially or completely diluted, becoming a paler color or even pink either partially or wholly.
(White mark, White face, Hovbrender platinum, ringneck[?])
The amount of white present on the body of the fox as well as the variation of how dark the underlying color is can cause this color to be mistaken for platinum, and individuals with only “minute markings” can resemble a fox without the white mark gene present at all. In comparison to a platinum, generally speaking, white mark foxes have smaller areas of the body that are white than platinum, and whitemark generally preserves the under lying color of the fox rather than diluting it (as opposed to platinum, which does). Whitemark is also known as “white face” or “Hovbrender platinum”. It is unclear if ringneck foxes are the same as whitemark, but it’s inheritance behaves the same as whitemark and platinum. Ringneck is distinguished from whitemark as having a white collar and a larger white tail tip like platinum, but the color on which it occurs remains relatively untouched whereas platinum dilutes the color. For the purpose of this color guide, ringneck is considered a variation of whitemark.
Heterochromia can occur in this coloration, resulting in odd colored eyes, such as one eye being blue and the other being brown, or the iris being partially brown or blue. These foxes can also have blue eyes. In addition, the noses of white mark foxes can be partially or completely diluted, becoming a paler color or even pink either partially or wholly.
Red white mark ‼
(Calico) Gold/red fox + white mark -AA BB/Bb Ww (Live photo provided by DACA Rose Fox and Fallow Farm) This is a mutation that has been allegedly documented in wild red foxes, particularly in Scandinavian where the color is called ‘collar fox’ or ‘white marked red’. Simply put, is a red fox with the added white mark factor. This color is sometimes referred to as a calico, though that moniker is much more common for cross whitemarks and cross platinums. |
Silver white mark ‼
(White mark, whiteface, Hovbrender platinum) Silver + white mark -BB/Bb/bb Ww (Live photo of Todd, a pet) Also just called a white mark, a silver white mark is the white mark or whiteface coloration as it occurs on a silver fox. |
Cross white mark ‼
(Calico fox) Silver/gold cross + white mark - Aa Bb/BB Ww (Live photo) Whitemark coloration on a gold or cross fox background. This color is also known as calico, which is also a shared name with cross platinum foxes. |
Pearl cross white mark ‼
(Calico, pearl calico, cross pearlatina. pearlatina) Silver/gold cross + pearl + whitemark - Aa Bb/BB pp/ss Ww (Pelt) When a pearl cross has the white mark coloration occur on top of it, this is the color that results. This color is also sometimes sold under the label of a calico fox despite not being a true gold or silver cross fox as the pearl gene is being expressed. It is also called pearlatina alongside pearl whitemarks themselves. |
Amber white mark ‼
Amber (burgundy + pearl) + white mark - bb gg pp Ww (Live photo from Tiny Tracks Exotic Animals) (Pelt) White mark added to an amber fox creates an amber white mark. To produce this color, the parents would have to be a silver white mark carrying the amber gene bred to an amber fox or another silver fox carrying the amber gene. Amber white mark is also a name for other pale brown mutants with white mark applied, e.g. fawn glow white mark. |
Pearl white mark ‼
(Pearlatina, Glacier, Glacier blue) Pearl + white mark - pp/ss Ww (Live photo) Though the name Pearlatina is not typically used in the contemporary fur market anymore, Pearlatina is the name for the pearl white mark fox. More often, it is sold alongside pearl platinum foxes as ‘glacier blue’ or ‘glacier’ foxes despite not being platinum foxes, but rather carry and express the white mark gene. They therefore share the name glacier and glacierblue with pearl platinum foxes. |
Fire & ice white mark ‼
Fire & ice + whitemark (gold/red fox + pearl + whitemark + fire gene) - AA BB/Bb pp Ww + fire gene (Live photo, source unknown) Fire and ice (in this section a fire factor pearl gold fox) applied to whitemark creates an interesting and unusual combination that is seldom seen. This is only one example of the fire genes that can be combined with whitemark to create unique colors; other examples could include fire factor white mark cross foxes, fawn glow white mark, wildfire white mark, etc. It closely resembles a platinum fox, but is genetically distinct, as the fire gene is responsible for the dilution, not the platinum gene. |
Burgundy white mark ‼
Burgundy + white mark - gg Ww (Live photo from Tiny Tracks Exotic Animals) White mark applied to the burgundy fox. |
Pink white mark ‼
(Pink champagne white mark) Pink fox + white mark (Live photo) (Deceased kit) Whitemark applied to pink fox. Like the pink fox, will have blue eyes and a pink nose. |
PLATINUM
This coloration first appeared in the 1930's in Scandinavia, but the same color appeared in separate lines in the US and Canada over the course of the next decade from when it first appeared in Norway. Similarly to how the pearl fox received several different names, the platinum fox has been known as Mons platinum, Paulsrod fox, and Odnes fox. However, most of these names are now irrelevent outside of historical context, and platinum foxes are generally referred to as such. Platinum is also an encompassing market name for whitemark foxes as well.
Platinum foxes are characterized by dilution of all of the background color of the fox, resulting in a pale coat, as well as generally large swatches of white on the face, legs, throat and underbelly. This is often distinguishable from typical whitemark foxes ,which have smaller areas of white and does not dilute the underlying color.
Platinum foxes, like white mark, can have heterochromia of the eyes or entirely blue eyes. Platinum is also an incompletely dominant gene that is lethal in homozygous condition. Thus, platinum foxes should not be bred to one another. This results in reduced litter sizes due to embryonic death. Fox kits that are sometimes born are all white with blue eyes. These kits are very weak and usually die immediately after birth and generally do not survive into adulthood. The same can be expected if platinum is bred to whitemark or Georgian white. If one wishes to produce a platinum fox, it is best to mate a platinum parent with a silver or other non-lethal color.
Platinum foxes carrying the pearl factor tend to have a paler coat color, similar to silver foxes carrying the pearl factor. The Platinum coloration can range from very pale to dark, and indiscernible from whitemark.
Platinum foxes are characterized by dilution of all of the background color of the fox, resulting in a pale coat, as well as generally large swatches of white on the face, legs, throat and underbelly. This is often distinguishable from typical whitemark foxes ,which have smaller areas of white and does not dilute the underlying color.
Platinum foxes, like white mark, can have heterochromia of the eyes or entirely blue eyes. Platinum is also an incompletely dominant gene that is lethal in homozygous condition. Thus, platinum foxes should not be bred to one another. This results in reduced litter sizes due to embryonic death. Fox kits that are sometimes born are all white with blue eyes. These kits are very weak and usually die immediately after birth and generally do not survive into adulthood. The same can be expected if platinum is bred to whitemark or Georgian white. If one wishes to produce a platinum fox, it is best to mate a platinum parent with a silver or other non-lethal color.
Platinum foxes carrying the pearl factor tend to have a paler coat color, similar to silver foxes carrying the pearl factor. The Platinum coloration can range from very pale to dark, and indiscernible from whitemark.
Platinum !!
(Silver platinum) Silver + platinum - Wpw (Live photo from Beautiful Fur Animals and their Coat Color Genetics) (Live photo from Tiny Tracks Exotic Animals) Platinum foxes are simply the platinum gene applied to the silver fox. Any type of silver fox or mutation based on a silver background can have the platinum gene applied, such as fawn glow, amber, etc. A few examples are listed below. |
Platinum gold ‼
(Platinum red) Red/gold + platinum - AA BB/ Bb Wpw (Live photo from US Fox Shipper's Council) Platinum gold foxes are the result of the platinum gene applied to the gold fox. As a result, the red of the body is often diluted to a creamy orange color, and the black of the body diluted to a gray. Platinum red foxes tend to be more clear in color, whereas platinum gold foxes can often be determined by the smoky coloration on their tail and body, indicating the heterozygous b gene. In order to produce a gold platinum, the platinum parent must be a standard silver fox - AA bb Wpw with the platinum gene, or a gold platinum itself. Any type of gold fox background mutants such as amber gold, burgundy gold, etc. can have the platinum gene applied to it. |
Platinum cross ‼
(Calico) Silver/gold cross + platinum - Aa Bb Wpw / Aa BB Wpw (Pale pelt example) The platinum cross fox is also called calico, which is a shared name with the cross whitemark. The platinum cross is the result of a silver or gold cross with the platinum gene applied. It can be difficult to determine if a platinum cross is truly a platinum cross, as certain individuals can be mistaken for a gold platinum. Any type of cross fox can also have the color platinum applied to it; burgundy cross, pearl cross, amber cross, etc. |
Burgundy platinum ‼
Burgundy + platinum - gg Wpw (Live photo from Beautiful fur Animals and their Coat Color Genetics) One of the examples of a recessive silver-based mutant with the platinum gene applied. This example is of the burgundy platinum. As a result of the dilution, the burgundy color is diluted to a cream orange color. As burgundy is a market name for other brown mutants such as pastel, it can be assumed that burgundy platinum can also encompass pastel platinum foxes as well. |
Pearl platinum ‼
(Glacier, Glacier blue) Pearl + platinum - pp Wpw or ss Wpw (Live photo from Beautiful fur Animals and their Coat Color genetics) The pearl platinum fox shares the name glacier and glacier blue with the pearl white mark. Very pale pearl platinum foxes can be almost white, and the color is often difficult to tell apart from a standard silver platinum, as the diluted silver is difficult to distinguish from diluted pearl. |
MARBLE
The marble coloration originated in 1945 from a Norwegian farm, and was originally assigned the gene symbol M. However, it was discovered that it belonged to the allelomorphic white series and was changed to WM. This color is often called the arctic marble, but this name has caused a great deal of confusion, especially in the pet industry, where the color is mistaken for an arctic fox (vulpes allopex) or a red and arctic fox hybrid. The two are completely unrelated, and to avoid confusion the color will be referred to in this guide as marble.
The marble coloration applied to any background will result in a mostly white body, with color being restricted to the ears, head, and sometimes a dorsal stripe or saddle, as well as markings on the tail and spots on the legs - all depending on the paleness of the marble.
The marble coloration applied to any background will result in a mostly white body, with color being restricted to the ears, head, and sometimes a dorsal stripe or saddle, as well as markings on the tail and spots on the legs - all depending on the paleness of the marble.
Silver marble
(Arctic marble, marble) Silver + marble - WMw (Live photo) Also can be simply referred to as marble. Silver plus the marble gene, can vary from dark to pale. |
Red marble
(Sun glow/glo, Gold marble) Red/gold + marble - AA BB WMw / AA Bb WMw (Live photo) Commonly called sun glow, the gold/red marble is the result of the heterozygous marble gene applied to the gold fox. Gold cross foxes are also occasionally referred to as sunglow foxes as well, and can be difficult to differentiate from a true gold marble. |
Cross marble
Silver/gold cross + marble - Aa Bb WMw / Aa BB WMw (Live photo, used with permission by DACA Rose Fox and Fallow Farm) Silver or gold cross fox with the heterozygous marble gene. Other cross types may also have the marble gene applied (pearl, burgundy, etc.) |
Burgundy marble
Burgundy + marble - gg WMw (Live photo from Beautiful Fur Animals and their Coat Color Genetics) Burgundy and heterozygous marble gene. |
Amber marble
Pearl + burgundy + marble - gg pp WMw (Live photo) Amber marble is the result of the amber coloration, created by combining pearl and burgundy, with the heterozygous marble gene. Amber marble may also account for fawn glow marbles, etc. |
Pearl marble
Pearl + marble - pp/ss WMw (Live photo from Beautiful Fur Animals and their Coat Color genetics) Pearl marble is the result of either pearl coloration with marble applied. Pearl marble can be somewhat difficult to tell from standard silver marbles, especially in photographs, but they generally have the notable gray-blueish coloration of pearl foxes in the areas where color is present. |
Pink marble
(Pink champagne marble, champagne marble) Pink + marble - WMw + ?? (Live photo) Marble applied to the pink fox. Like the pink fox, these foxes will have pink noses and blue eyes, and can appear to be almost white because of how washed out the pink is. They're also sometimes sold as extra pale pink foxes in the fur market. |
White marble
(White fox, arctic marble white, atom fox) Marble + Marble - WMWM (Live photo of Anya, a pet fox) White marble typically refers to homozygous marble on a silver fox background, but homozygous marble is a dominant mutation that can occur over any background and coloration. As marble is not lethal in homozygous condition nor is it incompatible with the other white series mutations, it is possible for any color to present with the white marble. However, regardless of the coloration, the fox will appear visibly the same. The only notable difference in coloration is of the very small area of color on their ears, as well as their nose and eye colors. For example, a white pink marble fox may have blue eyes and a pink nose, but but be otherwise white. Whereas, most white marbles will have dark eyes and dark noses. When this coloration was first documented in 1959, it was also referred to as the 'atom fox'. Other possible genetic backgrounds of white marble foxes include: Aa BB WMWM - White marble gold cross AA BB WMWM - White marble sun glow Aa Bb WMWM - White marble silver cross gg pp WMWM - Amber marble white - pp WMWM - Pearl marble white gg WMWM - Burgundy marble white |
Marble Platinum !!
Marble + Platinum - WMWP Marble can be combined with the platinum gene to create washed-out marble foxes, diluted by the presence of the platinum gene. This is a result of breeding a marble fox to a platinum fox, as this combination of white mutants is safe; however, since the platinum gene is present in marble platinum offspring, they are incompatible with white series coloration other than marble. Similarly to white marble, any coloration that can occur as a platinum coloration can be combined with marble to create a marble platinum fox. Some examples of genetic names and breakdowns are below. Arctic marble platinum - WMWP Sun glow platinum - AA BB WMWP Sun glow platinum gold - AA Bb WMWP Marble platinum gold cross - Aa BB WMWP Marble platinum silver cross - AaBb WMWP It is difficult to distinguish a marble platinum from a simple marble fox, thus it is important to know the heritage of a marble fox before breeding it to another white series coloration. |
GEORGIAN FOX
The Georgian white, also called the snow mutant, was first documented in Russia in 1943. It is a white fox with black spots on the face, back and feet, but it's markings are distinct in their organization from marble foxes. These foxes are often described as 'freckled'. The gene is incompletely dominant, and is lethal in homozygous condition. Therefore, Georgian foxes should not be bred to one another, nor any other white series coloration besides marbles.
These foxes were heavily restricted when they were first discovered during the period of the USSR, and for a time only existed in Russia. They now are present across Europe, but they are not in the North American pet trade at this time, except for Russian domesticated foxes imported to the US.
Georgian white can hypothetically exist with any other coloration (amber, burgundy, pearl, etc.), but only two variations are currently well documented.
These foxes were heavily restricted when they were first discovered during the period of the USSR, and for a time only existed in Russia. They now are present across Europe, but they are not in the North American pet trade at this time, except for Russian domesticated foxes imported to the US.
Georgian white can hypothetically exist with any other coloration (amber, burgundy, pearl, etc.), but only two variations are currently well documented.
Georgian white
(Snow mutant) WGw (Live photo, source unknown) The typical Georgian white exists on a silver fox background, with most of the body being white, and patches of black along the back, on the muzzle, face, ears, and legs of the fox. It is distinctive from marble foxes in that their ears usually often solid black. |
Red Georgian white
(Red Georgian) Georgian white + red -AA BB/Bb WGw (Live photo, source unknown) Red Georgian whites are the result of a red background on a Georgian white fox. |