Cat coat genetics as "transmembrane aminopeptidase Q" ("Taqpep"), which also produces the king cheetah coat variant. Spotted tabbies have their stripes broken up into spots, which may be arranged vertically or horizontally. A 2010 study suggests that spotted is caused by the modification of mackerel stripes, and may cause varying phenotypes such as "broken mackerel" tabbies via multiple loci. The "Ticked" gene, "T / t", produces an "Abyssinian ticked" or non-patterned agouti tabby with the dominant allele, having virtually no stripes or bars. Stripes usually remain to some extent on the face, tail, legs, and sometimes the chest. The dominant ticked tabby allele
Chub mackerel the closely related Atlantic chub mackerel in the Atlantic. The chub mackerel is widely distributed, usually found in the northwestern, southeastern, and northeastern Pacific. In the eastern Pacific, it can be found from central Mexico to southeastern Alaska. Chub mackerel are generally found within 20 miles (37 km) off the coast in waters between 50 and 72 °F (10 to 22 °C). Young mackerel live around sandy beaches or kelp beds, while adults are found in deeper waters in shallow banks to 1000 feet (300 m) deep. Chub mackerel school with other pelagic species, as well such as other types