Birds each have their peculiarities, whether due to their behavior or physical characteristics, birds attract a lot of attention, perhaps because they are not mammals and do not look like humans at all. They come in different colors and with extraordinary behaviors such as the murmur of sneezes, which coordinate their flight to form giant birds. There are also some that stand out for their bright colors that give them an almost unreal appearance. But there is also the diametrically opposite case, a kind of black chicken that lives up to its name and is completely colorless.
Ayam Cemani, the completely black chicken
It is known colloquially as black chicken or Ayam Cemani, which comes from Indonesian whose translation is literally Cemani Chicken. Is a rare species that inhabits Indonesia, since it is a pure breed of that Asian nation. It originated from the island of Java and is probably the most striking bird out there in terms of appearance. Both its plumage, its skin, legs and in general its external appearance are black. But it is so dark that it is not satisfied with lacking color on the outside, but also its organs, meat, muscles and bones are black. How is this possible?
The black color of the chicken is the result of a genetic mutation known as fibromelanosis. The body of these beautifully strange birds produces aboute ten times more melanin than that produced by a normal chicken. Melanin is the substance in charge of giving color to hair, eyelashes and skin, it has amazing chemical properties that keep us safe from harmful ultraviolet radiation. In other words, the pigment of the skin, hair, eyebrows and other regions of the body works as a photoprotector against the sun’s rays.
More melanin than normal
There are cases where genetic mutations cause null or partially very low production of melanin. Such is the case of albinism and leucism, which are conditions that have been observed in both animals and humans. But the black chicken is the complete opposite of these conditions. Your body produces so much melanin that pigmentation runs through all of your components, giving you an otherworldly appearance.
The feathers of the Ayam Cemani glow with dark iridescent colors ranging from green to purple. Also, both its meat and its internal organs and muscles also have this dark touch that makes it so special. The beak, the claws and its crest are not far behind, giving it an imposing air, coupled with the fact that it is very strong due to its thick muscles that give it a lot of speed. Even the eggs of black chicken hens are also dark, although they do have a hint of cream.
When it comes to nature, everything is possible, there will always be a living being that will amaze us, even though as humans we think we have already seen everything.
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