Guinea fowl plumage color inheritance, with particular attention on the dun color

The genetic basis of the dun-dundotte plumage color of the pearl guinea fowl was determined, and the relationship of this locus with that of the locus that causes the blue coloration was also studied. The dun color was shown to be the result of a single autosomal recessive gene, to which the gene symbol d was assigned. This locus was shown to be independent of the blue gene locus, and when both loci were homozygous for their mutant genes, a very dilute blue-dun color was produced. These results lead to a hypothesis of gene action for both the blue and dun genes.