Random (Japanese) Extension (ej-)

This allele gives us harlequin, or brindled colors. It also gives us tri-colored, when combined with the broken allele. The extension genes here can be e^je^j or e^je

This gene is not completely recessive to E which means that a rabbit that is Ee^j will show some brindling. This can almost always be seen on an agouti (A-) or tan (A^t-) but may be hidden in a self (aa). It is easiest to see inside the ears. Notice how the brindle seems to be trying to come through as spots on the broken castor below.

An otter that is Eej	A Broken Castor that is also Eej

It can be tricky to tell if a harlequin is an agouti (A-) or a self (aa) as both will show the same brindling patterns. The agouti pattern can sometimes still be seen though - it will be most obvious around the eyes, under the chin and tail, and on the belly, where you will often be able to see the light coloring typical of an agouti. The only way to tell for sure is through test-breeding of course - breed it to a self colored- rabbit and if ANY agoutis show up in the litter then the rabbit is carrying agouti.

A self colored (aa) broken harelequin will usually look like a tri-color, but if it is also heterozygous for random & non-extension (e^je) it can also end up looking more like a broken tort with some darker spots. These are sometimes called Torted Tri's.

In the Rex, the un-broken version of harlequin (ejej or eje) results in bands of color (brindling), ideally alternating (as in the Harlequin breed), but it is not showable.

When combined with the broken pattern (Enen) the colored parts become orange with black or chocolate spots, or fawn with blue or lilac spots. These can be shown in the broken group. This MUST be a broken pattern to be acceptable in Rex.

This is a blue-cream (or blue-fawn) harlequin		A young blue-fawn tri.
These are black-orange harlequin.		A young black-orange tri.

Black/Orange Tri