This paper focused on location and characteristics of melanocyte in skin of black-boned goat,providing clues for melanin deposition research.By immunohistochemistry staining,the localization of melanocytes in the black-boned goat skin with different coat colors (black and white) was examined.The mature melanocytes were determined by DOPA staining.The morphology of melanocytes was analyzed using hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining.The immunohistochemistry results showed that melanocytes were mainly located in basal layer of epidermis and hair follicles;The DOPA staining revealed that melanocytes were not identifiable in basal layer of the two coat colors epidermis and white hair follicles but existed in the bulb of black hair follicles and outer root sheath.It turned out that there were mature melanocytes existing in the bulb of black hair follicles and outer root sheath,which could synthesize melanin.The hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining results suggested that melanocytes in the outer root sheath of black hair follicles had intense pigmentation and a tendency for vacuolization while melanocytes in white hair follicles were elliptical shape and produced no melanin.What’s more we can’t distinguish the melanocytes from the other surrounding cells.Therefore,the activation of the melanocytes in the outer root sheath of black hair follicles might be the main reason for the melanin trait of black-boned goat.