Re: Amel genetics.............??

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Posted by Paul Hollander on October 24, 2002 at 17:26:32:

In Reply to: Amel genetics.............?? posted by DogStar on October 24, 2002 at 16:31:15:

:I asked this once on the Rat snake forum and really didn't get anywhere with it so I thought I'd ask here.

:My black rats father is an all white snake, like pure white! I asked if it was a luecisic snake and they said no, just a plain albino. He did have red eyes but man was he white, Kat might have seen him at the June show...
:Anyways I am going to breed my female to my male amel corn (please no flaming) and was wondering if the albinism of black rats is compatible with that of corn snakes. I am real excited about breeding them cuz I'd love to get some amel babies if this is true!!

The father of your black rat snake may be both leucistic and albino. The leucistic would produce the white skin, and the albino would make the eyes pink. The two mutants are independent and recessive to their normal alleles. IOW, leucistic x albino produces normal looking babies that are heterozygous albino and heterozygous leucistic.

Black rat snakes have two independent albino genes. AFAIK, the mutants produce very similar appearances. Mutants like these are called mimics. One mutant is called tyrosinase negative albino, and the other is called tyrosinase positive albino. Tyrosinase negative albino x amelanistic corn produces amelanistic (or albino if you prefer) babies. A couple of years ago a poster here on the kingsnake.com forums had a picture of such a hybrid. Tyrosinase positive albino x amelanistic corn produces normal looking babies.

If your black rat is heterozygous tyrosinase negative albino, then statistically half of the hybrid babies would be amelanistic.

If your black rat is heterozygous tyrosinase positive albino, then none of the babies would be amelanistic.

Leucistic has not turned up in corns. Expect any amelanistic babies to be a rather unattractive washed-out yellow, not the white of your black rat snake's father.

Paul Hollander, Moderator, Genetics Forum, http://www.reptiletopsites.com

Follow Ups:

Re: Breeding amel black rats ... ??? patricia sherman 10/25/02 (3)
- Re: Breeding amel black rats ... ??? Paul Hollander 10/25/02 (2)
  - Re: Breeding amel black rats ... ??? patricia sherman 10/26/02 (1)
    - Re: Breeding amel black rats ... ??? Paul Hollander 10/26/02 (0)
My Goodness!! DogStar 10/24/02 (0)