B39
Stuffed specimen of the asymmetrical fowl

Description of the domestic fowl would not be necessary. 15 billion of the domestic fowl are maintained in the world. Various breeds have been bred and we can see mutated individuals and populations. We have analyzed the mutation of the feather color including the mechanism of the expression. However, specific mutations are sometimes suddenly found and reported from the field. This individual expresses a rare phenotype. Although the feathers of the whole body are white and the cockscomb color is also typical, the color of the legs is different between left and right sides. The cause has remained unclear. However, problem probably occurred at the developmental stages of the embryo. It is suggested that the cells expressing different colors may be distributed in the hind limbs and legs. In 2011, we collected the fowl which had been maintained in Okinawa Prefecture, and prepared the stuffed specimen. We have morphologically and genetically examined the fowl as a rare case of mutation. The individual is a hybrid related to the White Leghorn as breed. 　(Hideki Endo & Mayu Kusumi)