Is harlequin a color or a breed?

[hoodat]

There seems to be a lot of confusion over harlies with some claiming any rabbit with harlie markings is a harlie and others insisting it is a breed first established in France. I can find literature to support both views.
Any harlie raisers with an opinion?

 

[Bad Habit]

It's both. I have a bunch of harlequin coloured Lionheads. There is a breed, Harlequin, but there is also a colour, harlequin.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

Harlequin is the breed and Japanese and magpie are the varieties. In the Harlequin breed, the colors in both varieties are black, blue, chocolate, and lilac. Now other breeds refer to their Japanese looking rabbits as Harlequin and the magpie is still magpie. We are messing with Jap and magpie flemish giants and rex.

Its just like any other breed out there. They were the result of a cross that was bred to be able to be reproduced consistently (sort of). It is approved by the ARBA, and therefor is a recognized breed.

 

[Random Rabbit]

Harlequin... with a Capital H is the breed.

harlequin , small h, is the color.

 

[akane]

Both. There is a breed with a standard requiring certain markings and body shape and the color can show up in other breeds probably from crosses some long time ago. I've had harli mini rex. Just because it has the color does make it that breed. There are lots of breeds like this. I have american sables which are sable colored. Sable is also a common color in many breeds. Californians are simply himis made in to a breed.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

What you call a harli in the mini rex is the Jap in the Harlequin breed.

 

[akane]

You can have magpie mini rex.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

Yes. Magpie is color (black, blue, chocolate, lilac) with white. Jap is color(black, blue, chocolate,lilac) with brown. Harlequin is the breed. Other breeds which have bred in these colors may have chosen to call the Jap a Harli instead.

 

[akane]

My understanding is harli is the overall term for both types of color and then jap is without white and magpie is with white. That's how I usually see it.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

Exactly.

 

[SMR]

Harlequin breed, harlequin color. Rarely do I see jap listed on a pedigree as its not usually considered 'correct' for coloring. Usually I will see black harlequin, blue harlequin, etc.

 

[akane]

So why would you assume my mini rex was a jap when I just said harli colored. It could very well have been a magpie.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

I didn't mean to assume anything. I have Harlequins in magpie, and I have Jap and magpie rex and flemish giants. So I was just trying to explain the differences in colors is all. I usually find that people with other breeds in the harlequin colors call the black and gold/brown Harlis and the magpies are called well... magpies. It is just my observation and wasn't meant to offend you or anyone else. So I apologize for the confusion.

__________ Fri Nov 09, 2012 4:45 pm __________

http://www.threelittleladiesrabbitry.com/harlequin.php
Showroom Groups Japanese, Magpie
Varieties Black,Blue,Chocolate,Lilac

http://voices.yahoo.com/rabbit-breed-pr ... tml?cat=53
Colors: Harlequins can be found in two distinct varieties - the Japanese and the Magpie. The Japanese always have a base color of orange and can be found with the marking colors of black, blue, chocolate and the dove-gray shade, known as lilac. The Magpies, on the other hand, come with the same marking colors, but their base color is always white. Black Magpie Harlequin rabbits are a personal favorite, as they tend to resemble cartoon zebras, when viewed from the side. I like to call them jailbird bunnies as they look like they are wearing the old-fashioned black and white convict uniforms.

 

[Bad Habit]

So why would you assume my mini rex was a jap when I just said harli colored. It could very well have been a magpie.

Well, I think they assumed that because most people call magpies "magpies", while the Japanese variety of Harlequin is usually referred to as harlequin in other breeds. I assume you could refer to either as harlequin, however most people don't.

Harlequin... with a Capital H is the breed.

harlequin, small h, is the color.

This is my understanding of it.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Harlequin refers to the pattern... the terms japanese and magpie refer to the colour of the pattern. Other breeds that get this pattern are usually not showable anyways, so its less common to refer to the colour of the pattern, outside of the actual harlequin breed.