# Ayam Cemani (DD-576)

> The Ayam Cemani is a rare chicken breed from the island of Java in Indonesia. In Indonesian, 'ayam' means chicken, and the Javanese word 'cemani' means thoroughly black. The breed has probably been kept since the 12th century for religious and mystical purposes. It was described by Dutch colonial settlers, and Dutch breeder Jan Steverink first imported it to Europe in 1998. The breed standard calls for black feathers, beak, tongue, comb and wattles, and even the meat, internal organs and bones are black or gray. Roosters weigh about 2 to 2.5 kg and hens 1.5 to 2 kg. The color comes from fibromelanosis, a dominant trait in which pigment cells spread into the skin, connective tissue and organs. In 2011, a team led by Leif Andersson traced it to a complex rearrangement on chromosome 20 that duplicates the endothelin 3 gene (EDN3). Extra EDN3 activity drives the growth of melanocytes, the pigment cells. Silkie chickens, Korea's Ogye and India's Kadaknath share the same mutation, and a 2017 genome study comparing Cemani and Silkie concluded that it arose once and spread among breeds. The pigment doesn't reach the blood, which is red as in any chicken, despite a popular myth. The footage shows a row of glossy black birds on a perch and black hens with chicks in straw.

- Department: Nature
- First published: 2025-05-20
- Last updated: 2025-05-20
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/ayam-cemani/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## On the timeline

- **1998**: Dutch breeder Jan Steverink first imports the Ayam Cemani to Europe

Full timeline: https://detailenjoyer.com/timeline/?case=ayam-cemani

## Quick facts

- **DD-576-F01**: The Ayam Cemani's black color comes from fibromelanosis, a duplication involving the EDN3 gene. _(Write-up · Exhibit C (One gene, copied))_
- **DD-576-F02**: Ayam Cemani blood is red. _(Write-up · Exhibit E (Red blood))_

## Write-up

Black down to the bones. A duplicated gene darkens the Ayam Cemani's skin, comb and organs. Its blood stays red.

1. **From Java**: The breed comes from Java, and 'cemani' is Javanese for thoroughly black.
2. **Black inside and out**: Feathers, skin, comb, wattles, organs and even bone linings are black or gray.
3. **One gene, copied**: Fibromelanosis comes from a rearrangement on chromosome 20 that duplicates the EDN3 gene.
4. **Shared mutation**: The Silkie carries the same mutation, which arose once and spread among breeds.
5. **Red blood**: Despite the myth, the blood is red. The pigment is in the tissues, not the blood.

## Related case files

- [Kawah Ijen (DD-600)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/kawah-ijen/): Another case from Java
- [Hungarian Herding Dogs (DD-691)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/hungarian-herding-dogs/): Another heritage animal breed

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: 'Entirely black... feathers, skin, beak, comb, wattles, internal organs, and bones': close. The breed standard says black, but meat, organs and bones are described as black or gray. The pigment sits in the tissue around the bones, not in the bone mineral.
- **Note**: 'A duplication in the EDN3 gene': more precisely, a complex rearrangement on chromosome 20 that duplicates a stretch of DNA containing the whole EDN3 gene (Dorshorst et al., 2011). Extra EDN3 drives the growth of pigment cells.
- **Note**: 'Rare': rare outside Indonesia. It was first imported to Europe in 1998.
- **Missing**: the same mutation darkens the Silkie, Korea's Ogye and India's Kadaknath. A 2017 genome study concluded it arose once and spread among breeds.

## Video: Ayam Cemani: Black Down to the Bones

- Duration: 23.2 s · Published: 2025-05-20
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DJ4bIReRnU2.mp4

### Transcript

DID YOU KNOW? The Ayam Cemani is a rare chicken breed originating from Java, Indonesia, renowned for its entirely black appearance, encompassing: feathers, skin, beak, comb, wattles, internal organs, and bones. This unique pigmentation results from a genetic condition called fibromelanosis, caused by a duplication in the EDN3 gene, leading to a hyperpigmentation throughout the bird's body. Despite myths, their blood remains red. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: Which island is the Ayam Cemani from?**  
A: In Indonesia. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (From Java) · Wikipedia: Ayam Cemani)_

**Q: What does 'cemani' mean?**  
A: It's a Javanese word. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (From Java) · Wikipedia: Ayam Cemani)_

**Q: Which gene is duplicated in fibromelanosis?**  
A: Endothelin 3. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (One gene, copied) · Dorshorst et al., 'A Complex Genomic Rearrangement Involving the Endothelin 3 Locus Causes Dermal Hyperpigmentation in the Chicken', PLOS Genetics (2011))_

**Q: Which other breed shares the same mutation?**  
A: So do Korea's Ogye and India's Kadaknath. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Shared mutation) · Dorshorst et al., 'A Complex Genomic Rearrangement Involving the Endothelin 3 Locus Causes Dermal Hyperpigmentation in the Chicken', PLOS Genetics (2011); Dharmayanthi et al., 'The origin and evolution of fibromelanosis in domesticated chickens: Genomic comparison of Indonesian Cemani and Chinese Silkie breeds', PLOS ONE (2017))_

**Q: What color is an Ayam Cemani's blood?**  
A: The pigment is in the tissues, not the blood. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Red blood) · Wikipedia: Ayam Cemani; Smithsonian Magazine: These Chickens Have Jet-Black Hearts, Beaks and Bones (2019))_

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: Ayam Cemani](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayam_Cemani)
- [Dorshorst et al., 'A Complex Genomic Rearrangement Involving the Endothelin 3 Locus Causes Dermal Hyperpigmentation in the Chicken', PLOS Genetics (2011)](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1002412)
- [Dharmayanthi et al., 'The origin and evolution of fibromelanosis in domesticated chickens: Genomic comparison of Indonesian Cemani and Chinese Silkie breeds', PLOS ONE (2017)](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173147)
- [Smithsonian Magazine: These Chickens Have Jet-Black Hearts, Beaks and Bones (2019)](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chicken-breed-boasts-black-bones-muscles-and-organs-180973179/)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Ayam Cemani." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-576, last updated May 20, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/ayam-cemani/