Liver (color)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Liver
 
CIELChuv (L, C, h)
(35, 19, 22°)
SourceISCC-NBS
ISCC–NBS descriptorGrayish reddish brown
B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte)

At right is displayed the color traditionally called liver.

The first recorded use of liver as a color name in English was in 1686.[1]

Liver may also refer to a group of certain types of dark brown color in dogs and horses. Said nomenclature may also refer to the color of the organ.

In dogs

A Labrador Retriever. Note the brown nose, and the yellow in the eyes. In Labradors this color is called "Chocolate," but it is the same as "Liver."
Liver (Dogs)
 
CIELChuv (L, C, h)
(28, 33, 41°)
Source[Unsourced]
ISCC–NBS descriptorDark brown
B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte)

In dogs, the Liver color is caused by dilution of the

phaeomelanin
pigment. This second pigment is what colors all the "true red" or yellow parts of a dog.

Irish Setter
An Irish Setter. This dog is not a liver, but a recessive red with very dark pigment.
Rough Collie
A Rough Collie. This dog is also not a liver, although it may be mistaken for it. It is a Black and Red/Yellow dog with the shaded sable pattern.
Neither of these dogs is a Liver.

Liver dilution can also be combined with other genes that dilute a dog's coat. The D locus dilutes black pigment to a blue-grey color usually called Blue. It is a recessive trait like Liver. When a dog has both Liver and Blue dilution, it will appear to be a light, warm-gray color known as Isabella. This is the color of

eumelanin
(black) pigment is further diluted in random patches. This usually creates a light reddish-gray dog with dark brown patches. This color is often called "Red Merle" even though that is misleading. A more correct name would be Liver Merle or Chocolate Merle.

A German Wirehaired Pointer. This dog is a liver. It is also a piebald with roaning.

There are many other dog colors that can look like brown, but are not Liver. A dog that is very dark red, like an

Eumelanin
(black) pigment colors a dog's nose, so a Liver dog will have a Liver colored nose. If the nose is black, the dog is not a liver. A pink nose has nothing to do with liver dilution, and will not help determine if a dog is liver or not. Liver will also dilute a dog's brown eyes to amber/yellow.

It is also possible for a dog to be a Liver, and not appear brown. A dog that is recessive red cannot produce

phaeomelanin
(red) pigment. A recessive red Liver will still be born with a Liver nose and amber/yellow eyes. It is common for the nose of any recessive red dog to fade to pink as they grow older. Livers, like any dog, can also be covered with varying amounts of white which will hide the color of the fur.

Liver chestnut in horses

An example of a dark liver chestnut-colored horse.
Liver Chestnut (horses)
 
CIELChuv (L, C, h)
(28, 16, 26°)
Source[Unsourced]
ISCC–NBS descriptorDark grayish brown
B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte)

In horses, liver chestnut is a chocolate-colored

black horse manifesting the silver dapple gene. Silver dapple is a dilution gene
that acts in a manner similar to the liver dilution in dogs.

The darkest liver chestnuts may be confused for black, but such horses are distinguished from other

sooty gene may also be one factor in creating the darker color, though sooty coloration is generally not evenly distributed throughout the coat. Genetic testing can distinguish a chestnut from a black or a bay horse.[3]

Other dilution genes in horses analogous to those creating dilution shades in dogs do not create a liver color in horses. These include the dun gene, which produces a tan-colored or "blue"/gray solid colored coat and the champagne gene which tends to lighten the coat more than the mane or tail.

Liver (organ)

An image of a healthy sheep's Liver; human livers are much the same color
Liver (organ)
 
CIELChuv (L, C, h)
(27, 47, 20°)
Source[Unsourced]
ISCC–NBS descriptorDeep reddish brown
B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte)
Main article: Liver

This is the color of a healthy human

dark brown color may indicate alcohol poisoning,[citation needed] a black color can be seen in livers affected by Dubin–Johnson syndrome,[4] and white or grayish tones may indicate cancer.[citation needed] It is unknown why the color of dogs and horses came to be known by the term "Liver", as these tones indicate an unhealthy liver.[citation needed
]

These healthy tones usually indicate blood flow, which is why livers and other meat turn grayish brown when cooked.[5]

Dark liver (web)

Liver (web) (#534B4F)
#534B4F

At right is displayed the color dark liver (web).

This is the shade of dark liver that is the unofficial web color called liver that is traditionally used in

web site design
.

In nature

  • Liver-colored moray eel
  • Liver-colored horses

See also

References

  1. ^ Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York: 1930 McGraw-Hill Page 198; Color Sample of Liver: Page 37 Plate 7 Color Sample H9.
  2. ^ Animal Genetics. "B-Locus (Brown, Liver, Chocolate)". www.horsetesting.com. Retrieved 2014-05-05. Use of copyrighted material rationale: no material was used, just referenced.
  3. PMID 12224446
    . The statistical analysis of 1369 offspring from five stallions indicate, that darker shades of basic color phenotypes (dark chestnut, dark bay) follow a recessive mode of inheritance in the Franches-Montagnes horse breed.
  4. PMID 20955959
    .
  5. ^ Unknown, Various (Spring 2012). "Hepatic Pathology Index". Mercer School of Medicine Internet Pathology Laboratory for Medical Education. Retrieved 2013-01-21.Fair Use Rationale: this is an educational journal.
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