Subject: Why causes mammals to have stripes versus spots?

I know that the answer has to do with mathematics, which relates to 
the mammal's fetus as it develops. Mammals with relatively long, thin 
foetuses have stripes (tigers, zebras) while chubby relatively 
shorter foetuses develop spots. The answer also relates to 
mathematics, which provides the only answer. Biology does not. We 
heard all of this on a radio program in Sept. or Oct. 1998 on public 
radio, but after long searching on the Net, we can not find any 
reference to this at all. Help!!!

Re: Why causes mammals to have stripes versus spots?