ALBINISMZoie Wong

OTHER NAMES

Name came from the Portuguese albino, which came from albo, from Latin albus, meaning “white.”

Achromasia Achromia Achromatosis Albino

WHAT IS ALBINISM?

The quality of having no pigment Cannot absorb any light All colors are reflected off, making organisms

look white Albinos are the organisms that have the

disease albinism

HOW IS THE DISEASE INHERITED?

Both copies of the parents’ genes “block” the production of melanin (pigments)

If one parent allows melanin, and the other does not, the offspring will look normal, but will have the recessive gene of albinism.

Being albino is recessive. Being “normal” is a dominant trait.

FREQUENCY OF DISEASE

Very rare Humans- 1:20,000 Mammals- 1:10,000 Fish- 1:20,000 Birds- 17:30,000 (1:1,764)

SYMPTOMS

No melanin inside you whatsoever White/light pink hair, skin, scales, or feathers Red/light blue eyes

The redness is from your blood vessels. It does not mean that there is red melanin.

Eyes will also not be able to focus well due to the light

TESTING… AND TREATMENT?

Have studied albinism in great amounts, no real “cure”

Wear contacts or sunglasses to help eyes focus around others

Frequent skin tests No melanin Easier for cancer

BEING ALBINO AND BEING LEUCISTIC

No melanin WHATSOEVER

White skin, hair, scales, and feathers

Pink/Light blue eyes

MOSTLY white skin, hair, scales, and feathers

Some dark pigmentation in eyes and nails

Not as rare as true albinos

Albino Leucistic

BEING WHITE DOES NOT MAKE YOU ALBINO!

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PICTURES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Musgrave, Ruth A. "Albino animals: these animals face danger in the wild." National Geographic Kids Apr. 2007: 32+. General OneFile. Web. 4 Dec. 2011.http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA163048053&v=2.1&u=cam12345&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w

"Albinism." Optician 24 Feb. 2006: 43. General OneFile. Web. 4 Dec. 2011. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA142561399&v=2.1&u=cam12345&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w

“Animal Albinism.” 2 Jun. 2005. John Miller. 17 Nov. 2010

http://blackrainbownihon.blogspot.com/2011/09/animal-albinism.html

“35 Ghosts of Nature- Albino Animals of the Wild.” Unusual Things. 5 Dec. 2011

http://unusuals-things.blogspot.com/2008/12/35-ghosts-of-nature-albino-animals-of.html

Halls, Kelly. Albino Animals. Plain City: Darby Creek Publishing, 2004. Print