Description:
Recessive Black is a unique mutation in coturnix quail. Though it looks like Tibetan or Rosetta, the mutation is actually closer related to fawn. It is on the ASIP gene, and is recessive to Lethal Yellow, Fawn-2, and Wildtype (3). Recessive Black is not currently believed to be in public hands, though it has been tested in European and Asiatic labs as late as 2008 (1)(3).
It causes the bird to have a dark brown, almost plumage, with white coming through at the throat and breast. Pink and yellow feet separate it out from the typical EB look (1)(2). Chicks will be a dark brown with two black stripes through the back. (2)
It is not currently believed to be in public hands at this time, though it has been tested in several labs in Asia and Europe as late as 2008. It was originally discovered in 2005 in Japanese labs, and the proposed order of dominance is The gene symbol is Y^Rb, and the order of dominance is Recessive Black < Calico < Wildtype < Lethal Yellow < Fawn.
Breeding with Recessive Black:
Recessive Black x Recessive Black = 100% Recessive Black
(rb/rb x rb/rb = 100% rb/rb)
Recessive Black x Wildtype = 100% RB Split (Appears wildtype)
(rb/rb x rb+/rb+ = 100% rb/rb+)
Recessive Black x RB Split = 50% Recessive Black, 50% RB Split
(rb/rb x rb/rb+ = 50% rb/rb, 50% rb/rb+)
RB Split x RB Split = 25% Recessive Black, 50% RB Split, 25% Wildtype
(rb/rb+ x rb/rb+ = 25% rb/rb, 50% rb/rb+, 25% rb+/rb+)
RB Split x Wildtype = 50% RB Split, 50% Wildtype
(rb/rb+ x rb+/rb+ = 50% rb/rb+, 50% rb+/rb+)
Recessive Black x Manchurian = 100% Italian + RB Split
(rb/rb x M/M = 100% M/rb)
Recessive Black x Italian RB Split = 50% Recessive Black split, 50% Italian RB Split
(rb/rb x M/rb+ = 50% rb/rb+, 50% M/rb+)
Italian RB Split x Italian RB Split = 25% Recessive Black, 50% RB Italian Split, 25% Manchurian
(M/rb x M/rb = 25% rb/rb, 50% rb/M, 25% M/M)
References & Further Reading
Hiragaki, Takahiro, et al. "Recessive black is allelic to the yellow plumage locus in Japanese quail and associated with a frameshift deletion in the ASIP gene." Genetics 178.2 (2008): 771-775.
Fujiwara, Akira, et al. "“Recessive black”: a plumage color mutant in Japanese quail." The Journal of Poultry Science 42.1 (2005): 64-69.
Tsudzuki, Masaoki. "Mutations of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) and recent advances of molecular genetics for this species." The journal of poultry science 45.3 (2008): 159-179.
Miwa, M., M. Inoue-Murayama, B. B. Kayang, A. Vignal, F. Minvielle et al.,
2005, Mapping of plumage color and blood protein loci on the microsatellite linkage map of the Japanese quail.
Anim. Genet.36:396–400.
Wang, X. G., et al. "Genome-wide association analysis of eggshell color of an F2 generation population reveals candidate genes in chickens." animal 18.6 (2024): 101167.
