The rare King Cheetah is characterized by a distinctive coat pattern, in which the spots coalesce into larger, darker patches, bands and stripes. It was first noted in the wild in 1926, and for some time King Cheetahs were considered to be a different species. However in 1981 two spotted cheetah sisters gave birth to litters in the De Vildt Cheetah & Wildlife Centre, each of which contained one king kitten. In 2012 the cause of this alternative fur pattern was found to be a mutation in the gene for transmembrane aminopeptidase Q (Taqpep). The mutation is recessive and therefore must be inherited from both parents for the king pattern to appear. This explains why it is very rare.