Leucism is a wide variety of conditions that result in partial loss of pigmentation in an animal—causing white, pale, or patchy coloration of the skin, hair, feathers, scales, or cuticles, but not the eyes. It is occasionally spelled leukism. Some genetic conditions that result in a "leucistic" appearance include piebaldism, Waardenburg syndrome, vitiligo, Chédiak–Higashi syndrome, flavism, isabellinism, xanthochromism, axanthism, amelanism, and melanophilin mutations. Pale patches of skin, feathers, or fur can also result from injury.
Leucistic white lions owe their colouring to a recessive allele. Note the eyes and lips remain the normal colour. Studies have shown that the reduced pigment comes from a mutation in the gene for tyrosinase, the same as causes Type I oculocutaneous albinism in humans.