Recognized English Angora Colors
Only specific colours and patterns are officially recognized in the ARBA English Angora breed standard. Only these colours, also referred to as varieties, can be shown at an ARBA show. Here is a list of all the recognized English Angora varieties and their corresponding genotypes. English Angoras compete in two classes, either the White Class or the Coloured Class.
WHITE CLASS
POINTED WHITE
(Himalayan)
The body is to be pure, clean white. Marking color is to be Black, Blue, Chocolate, or Lilac. Color is to be on the nose, ears, feet, and tail. Toenails must be colored.
Eyes: pink iris, red pupil
Faults: Markings extremely faded; stained or creamy coat.
DQ: Absence of any marking. White spot in any marking. Smut on the usable portion of the pelt. Any Tan Pattern marking appearing in the marking pattern.
Genotypes:
Black Pointed White aa B_ c(ch)_ D_ E_
Blue Pointed White aa B_ c(ch)_ dd E_
Chocolate Pointed White aa bb c(ch)_ D_ E_
Lilac Pointed White aa bb c(ch)_ dd E_
BLUE EYED WHITE (BEW)
Color is to be a pure clean white overall.
Eyes: light to medium blue
Faults: Stained or creamy coat.
Genotype: __ __ __ __ __ vv
RUBY EYED WHITE (REW)
Color is to be a pure clean white overall.
Eyes: pink iris, ruby red pupil
Faults: Stained or creamy coat.
Genotype: __ __ cc __ __
COLORED CLASS
TICKED GROUP
STEEL
Overall color is to be very dark charcoal or steel gray, lightly ticked with tan or silver. Belly and underside of tail may be slightly lighter and need not be ticked.
Eyes: Brown
Genotypes:
Gold Tipped: A_ B_ C_ D_ EsE
Silver Tipped: A_ B_ c(chd)_ D_ EsE
BLUE STEEL
Overall color is to be blue, lightly ticked with tan or silver. Belly and underside of tail may be slightly lighter and need not be ticked.
Eyes: Blue-gray
Genotypes:
Gold Tipped: A_ B_ C_ dd EsE
Silver Tipped: A_ B_ c(chd)_ dd EsE
CHOCOLATE STEEL
Overall color is to be chocolate, lightly ticked with tan or silver. Belly and underside of tail may be slightly lighter and need not be ticked.
Eyes: Brown
Genotypes:
Gold Tipped: A_ bb C_ D_ EsE
Silver Tipped: A_ bb c(chd)_ D_ EsE
LILAC STEEL
Overall color is to be lilac, lightly ticked with tan or silver. Belly and underside of tail may be slightly lighter and need not be ticked.
Eyes: Blue-gray
Genotypes:
Gold Tipped: A_ bb C_ dd EsE
Silver Tipped: A_ bb c(chd)_ dd EsE
AGOUTI GROUP
Body color is to be banded and ticked. Ears are to be laced and to match ticking color. There should be white or tan eye circles, inside of ears, nape of neck, nostrils, underside of jowls, belly, and underside of tail. Belly may or may not have colored undercoat or lap spots.
Faults: Poor ring definition. Rings not in the desired order.
DQ: Complete lack of banding.
CHESTNUT
(Black Agouti)
Surface color is a rich chestnut, ticked with black tipped guard hairs. It shall have one or more intermediate bands of tan, alternating with slate, with a blue-gray undercolor.
Eyes: Brown
Genotype: A_ B_ C_ D_ E_
OPAL
(Blue Agouti)
Surface color is primarily blue, ticked with blue tipped guard hairs. It shall have one or more intermediate bands of tan, alternating with shades of blue, with a light blue undercolor.
Eyes: Blue-gray
Genotype: A_ B_ C_ dd E_
CHOCOLATE AGOUTI
Surface color is a rich chestnut, ticked with chocolate tipped guard hairs. It shall have one or more intermediate bands of tan, alternating with light chocolate, with a dove-gray undercolor.
Eyes: Brown.
Genotype: A_ bb C_ D_ E_
LYNX
(Lilac Agouti)
Surface color is a light tan, ticked with lilac tipped guard hairs. It shall have one or more intermediate bands of tan, alternating with shades of light lilac, with a light lilac undercolor. White undercolor is allowed.
Eyes: Blue-grey
Genotype: A_ bb C_ dd E_
COPPER
(High rufus Black Agouti)
Surface color is a rufus red, ticked with jet black tipped guard hairs. It shall have one or more intermediate bands of bright red-orange, alternating with dark slate, with a slate undercolor.
Eyes: Brown
Genotype: A_ B_ C_ D_ E_ ++++
CHINCHILLA
Surface color is a blend of medium slate and pearl, ticked with black tipped guard hairs. It shall have one or more intermediate bands of pearl, alternating with shades of blue-gray, with a blue-gray undercolor.
Eyes: Any shade of blue-gray, brown, or marbled
Genotype: A_ B_ c(chd)_ D_ E_
SQUIRREL
(Blue Chinchilla)
Surface color is a blend of blue and pearl, ticked with blue tipped guard hairs. It shall have one or more intermediate bands of peearl, alternating with shades of light blue, with a light blue undercolor.
Eyes: Blue-gray
Genotype: A_ B_ c(chd)_ dd E_
CHOCOLATE CHINCHILLA
Surface color is a blend of chocolate and pearl, ticked with chocolate tipped guard hairs. It shall bave one or more intermediate bands of pearl, alternating with shades of light chocolate, with a dove-gray undercolor.
Eyes: Any shade of blue-grey, brown, or marbled
Genotype: A_ bb c(chd)_ D_ E_
LILAC CHINCHILLA
Surface color is a blend of lilac and pearl, ticked with lilac tipped guard hairs. It shall have one or more intermediate bands of pearl, alternating with shades of light lilac, with a light lilac undercolor.
Eyes: Blue-gray
Genotype: A_ bb c(chd)_ dd E_
WIDE BAND GROUP
RED
(High Rufus Fawn plus Wideband)
Dorsal color is to be a deep reddish sorrel. Reds may have white, cream, or pale red eye circles, inside of ears, nostrils, underside of jowls, belly, and underside of tail. They may have lap spots.
Eyes: Brown
Faults: Any smut, ticking, ear lacing, or faint grayish band in wool.
Genotypes:
A_ B_ C_ D_ ee ww ++++
A_ bb C_ D_ ee ww ++++
FAWN
(Orange in most other breeds)
Dorsal wool is to be a clear golden color. Fawns are to have white eye circles, inside of ears, nostrils, underside of jowls, belly, and underside of tail. White undercolor is allowed and they may have lap spots.
Eyes: Brown
Faults: Any smut, ticking, ear lacing, or faint grayish band in wool.
Genotypes:
A_ B_ C_ D_ ee
A_ bb C_ D_ ee
CREAM
(Diluted Fawn)
Dorsal color is to be a pinkish beige to almond. Creams are to have white eye circles, inside of ears, nostrils, underside of jowls, belly, and underside of tail. White undercolour is allowed and they may have lap spots
Eyes: Blue-gray
Faults: Any smut, ticking, ear lacing, or faint grayish band in wool.
Genotypes:
A_ B_ C_ dd ee
A_ bb C_ dd ee
SELF GROUP
Some animals may show a light/dark "banding" on the wool shaft which is normal and should not be confused with agouti banding which consists of three or more colors on the wool shaft.
SELF BLACK
Guard hairs and normal gurred areas are to be jet black. Wool is to be dark slate, but may fade slightly towards the skin.
Eyes: Brown
Faults: Rusty tinge
Genotype: aa B_ C_ D_ E_
SELF BLUE
Guard hairs and normal furred areas are tob e rich dark blue. Wool is to be slightly lighter, but may fade slightly towards the skin.
Eyes: Blue-gray
Faults: Rusty tinge
Genotype: aa B_ C_ dd E_
SELF CHOCOLATE
Guard hairs and normal furred areas are to be rich dark chocolate. Wool is to be lighter chocolate, fading to dove-gray towards the skin.
Eyes: Brown
Faults: Rusty tinge
Genotype: aa bb C_ D_ E_
SELF LILAC
Guard hairs and normal furred areas are to be a pinky dove-gray. Wool is to be slightly lighter, but may fade slightly towards the skin.
Eyes: Blue-gray
Faults: Rusty tinge
Genotype: aa bb C_ dd E_
SHADED GROUP
PEARL
Light or dark marking color of Sable, Black, Blue, Chocolate, or Lilac, on nose or mask, ears, feet, and tail, shading rapidly to a pearl or very light body color. Undercolor to be white. Toenails must be colored.
Eyes: Sable, Black, and Chocolate to be brown. Blue and Lilac to be blue-gray.
DQ: Body or belly wool pure white
Genotypes:
Black Pearl (Sallander): aa B_ c(chd)_ D_ ee
Blue Pearl (Blue Sallander): aa B_ c(chd)_ dd ee
Blue Pearl (Blue Sable Point): aa B_ c(chl)_ dd ee
Choc. Pearl (Choc. Sallander): aa bb c(chd)_ D_ ee
Choc. Pearl (Choc. Sable Point): aa bb c(chl)_ D_ ee
Lilac Pearl (Lilac Sallander): aa bb c(chd)_ dd ee
Lilac Pearl (Lilac Sable Point): aa bb c(chl)_ dd ee
Sable Pearl (Sable Point): aa B_ c(chl)_ D_ ee
SMOKE PEARL
(Blue Sable)
Guard hairs over back and normal furred areas are dark smoeky blue. Wool on head, ears, feet, upper side of tail, and back is medium smoky blue, shading to a lighter pearl gray beige on chest, flanks, belly, and under side of tail.
Eyes: Blue-gray
Genotypes:
aa B_ c(chl)ch dd E_
aa B_ c(chl)c dd E_
SABLE
(Siamese Sable)
Guard hairs over back and normal furred areas are a very dark rich sepia brown. Wool on the head, ears, feet, upper side of tail, and back is medium to dark sable color, shading to a lighter sable on chest, flanks, belly, and underside of tail.
Eyes: Brown
Genotypes:
aa B_ c(chl)ch D_ E_
aa B_ c(chl)c D_ E_
SEAL
(Double Sable)
Same as Sable, except so very dark that the color is almost black.
Eyes: Brown
Genotype: aa B_ c(chl)c(chl) D_ E_
TORTOISESHELL
Mask, ears, feet, and tail are to be brownish black or dark smoke. Wool is to be dark fawn over the back, shading to smoky color on flanks, haunches, and belly. May carry some black ticking in fawn areas and may have lap spots.
Eyes: Brown
DQ: White belly or tail
Genotype: aa B_ C_ D_ ee
BLUE TORTOISESHELL
Mask, ears, feet, and tail are to be blue. Wool is to be a beige or almond color over the back, shading to blue on flanks, haunches, and belly. May have some blue ticking in beige areas and may have lap spots.
Eyes: Blue-gray
Fault: Body wool very light, almost white.
DQ: Body wool pure white. White belly or tail.
Genotype: aa B_ C_ dd ee
CHOCOLATE TORTOISESHELL
Mask, ears, feet, and tail are to be creamy chocolate color (not the rich dark chocolate of the self chocolate). Wool is to be fawn over the back, shading to creamy chocolate on flanks, haunches, and belly. May have some chocolate ticking in fawn areas and may have lap spots.
Eyes: Brown
DQ: White belly or tail
Genotype: aa bb C_ D_ ee
LILAC TORTOISESHELL
Mask, ears, feet, and tail are to be lilac. Wool is to be a beige or almond color over the back, shading to lilac on flanks, haunches, and belly. May have some lilac ticking in beige areas and may have lap spots.
Eyes: Blue-gray
Fault: Body wool very light, almost white.
DQ: Body wool pure white. White belly or tail.
Genotype: aa bb C_ dd ee
The chart bellow lists almost all of the above varieties with the exception of:
• REW, which can be anything genetically as long as two copies of the REW gene are present
• BEW, which can be anything genetically except for REW (REW is dominant over BEW) as long as two copies of the Vienna gene are present
• Copper, which is Black Agouti plus high rufus modifiers
• Red, which is Fawn plus high rufus modifiers, plus two copies of the Wideband gene
• Seal, which is a rabbit with two copies of the Sable (Chinchilla Light) gene
The chart includes some un-showable varieties which result from the combination of the genes in those spots on the table. These are marked in light grey text.
If you are feeling a little confused while looking at where Fawn is located, that's perfectly understandable. In most (if not all) other breeds of rabbit, Black Agouti plus non extension is called Orange, while the diluted version of Orange is called Fawn. In the Angora breeds however, what would be Orange is called Fawn, and the diluted version of the Angora Fawn is called Cream.
The areas left blank on the table are all genetic combinations that do not produce recognizable colours or create faulty versions of them. It's genetic mish mash that should be avoided.
Lastly, only the Agouti and Self combinations are included. Varieties produced by the Tan gene such as the Otter are not recognized in the Angora breeds.
