AboutWalter Hintz Expertise I can answer questions about both vertebrate and invertebrate zoology. I am an expert in animal behavior, especially birds.
Experience I have taught for over 50 years. I teach college biology courses and I have led tours to the Galapagos Islands and the Belize rain forest
Expert: Walter Hintz Date: 5/10/2008 Subject: hide and hair
Question i understand that tigers have the same pattern on both hair and hide.My questions are:1. What other animals have both alike?,i.e. zebra.?2.Any evolutionary advaantage/disadvantage to this? Please help. I have been trying for over two years to find an answer to this question.JF
Answer Hi Jon;
Distinctive color patterns on mammals all are part of protective camouflage. The same coloration of hide and hair is the result of the placement of the melanocytes producing pigments. As far as I know this situation occurs in most mammals. A dog with spots has spots on the skin also. Now I am not sure about the Zebra. Zebras are black with with stripes. I do not know if the Zebra hide is white under the white hair.
