Melanism
![The black jaguar was considered a different species, but is the same Panthera Onca](/Images/godic/202501/19/Melanism_in_Panthera_Onca4345.jpg")
![Melanistic Eastern Grey Squirrel, fauna of Toronto, Canada](/Images/godic/202501/19/Melsquir4345.jpg")
![Melanistic Guinea pigs are relatively rare, and considered especially effective in ritual use by Andean curanderos.[1]](/Images/godic/202501/19/Cavia_porcellus-Licorice4345.jpg")
![A melanistic European adder (Vipera berus) compared to a normal-coloured adder.](/Images/godic/202501/19/Hugorme4345.jpg")
Melanism is a development of the dark-colored pigment melanin in the skin or its appendages and is the opposite of albinism. Historically, it was also the medical term for black jaundice.
The word melanism is derived from the Greek:μελανός ("black pigment").