ANIMALSThese Animal Patterns Are Weirder and Wilder Than You Think4 min read

One Gene Separates Spots From Stripes

King cheetahs were once classified as a separate species. They look different enough — broad stripes running down their backs instead of the usual scattered spots. Researchers eventually confirmed they’re the same animal as the common cheetah, then found the reason: a single gene called Taqpep. When that gene mutates, a cheetah’s spots coalesce into stripes and larger blotches. King cheetahs exist only in small, scattered populations in southern Africa.

That same Taqpep mutation shows up in domestic cats. The mackerel tabby — the most common type in North America — has tidy, narrow stripes running parallel down its sides. Cats carrying the mutation have the blotched tabby pattern instead, where those stripes break apart into broader smears. It’s more common in Europe. One gene, two completely different looks. The gap between a house cat and a big cat turns out to be smaller than most people expect.