Ask A Scientist Molecular Biology Archive

name Lisa 
status other 
grade other 
location WI 

Question - I just read an aticle in my local paper that states a 
true albino white-tailed deer has blue eyes. I was always told that they 
were only true ablinos if they had red or pink eyes. Could you please 
tell me which make them a true albino deer?
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A true albino has pink eyes because, since there is no pigment in the iris, 
all you see is the blood is the eye. If the animal has blue eyes, it means 
that a small amount of melanin is being pproduce in the iris. 

Ron Baker, Ph.D
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