Re: couple questions

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Posted by Paul Hollander on July 25, 2002 at 00:31:09:

In Reply to: couple questions posted by Terry on July 24, 2002 at 13:05:29:

: And because a "hypo"melanin gene alteration (morph) on one subspecies might be different--might alter the production to a different degree--

Or be totally different and independant mutants, such as leucistic in the Texas rat snake and what Bechtel calls xanthic in the black rat snake.

: than on another ssp, we shouldn't be surprised to see variations in hypos of different kinds. Since melanin production may be regulated by several different genes,

I've seen a claim that there are 50 loci with mutants that affect color and/or pattern in the laboratory mouse. And that was in a book over 20 years old. There may be more, now.

: it's not unreasonable to think (and I think you agree with this based on your belief there might be different albino morphs) it's not unreasonable to think we could eventually see several different hypo morphs of the same subspecies, genetically distinct, maybe one extremely light, another much darker. Each would still exhibit individual variation just as the normal wild type does, but the two would be genetically different and have different effects on appearance. And yes, they could eventually be bred together so that BOTH effects occur on the same animal, reducing the melanin even more.

I have personally seen a variety of mutants that produce different amounts of reduction in the amount of melanin in the ringneck dove, lab mouse, pigeon, and domestic cat. Except they weren't lumped together under a single name; each had its own unique name to reflect the unique nature and inheritance of each one.

Paul Hollander

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: : : And because a "hypo"melanin gene alteration (morph) on one subspecies might be different--might alter the production to a different degree-- : Or be totally different and independant mutants, such as leucistic in the Texas rat snake and what Bechtel calls xanthic in the black rat snake. : : than on another ssp, we shouldn't be surprised to see variations in hypos of different kinds. Since melanin production may be regulated by several different genes, : I've seen a claim that there are 50 loci with mutants that affect color and/or pattern in the laboratory mouse. And that was in a book over 20 years old. There may be more, now. : : it's not unreasonable to think (and I think you agree with this based on your belief there might be different albino morphs) it's not unreasonable to think we could eventually see several different hypo morphs of the same subspecies, genetically distinct, maybe one extremely light, another much darker. Each would still exhibit individual variation just as the normal wild type does, but the two would be genetically different and have different effects on appearance. And yes, they could eventually be bred together so that BOTH effects occur on the same animal, reducing the melanin even more. : I have personally seen a variety of mutants that produce different amounts of reduction in the amount of melanin in the ringneck dove, lab mouse, pigeon, and domestic cat. Except they weren't lumped together under a single name; each had its own unique name to reflect the unique nature and inheritance of each one. : Paul Hollander

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Re: couple questions

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