 This gene was termed "Lp" for "leopard complex" by Dr. D. Phillip Sponenberg in 1982, and was described as an autosomal, incomplete dominant gene.Horses without the gene ("lplp") were solid-colored, those with two copies of the gene (homozygous or "LpLp") were usually "fewspots", while those with a single copy of the gene (heterozygous or "Lplp") ranged from mere mottled skin to full leopard.In 2004, "Lp" was assigned to equine chromosome 1 (ECA1) by a team of researchers.