What is hypomelanism???

[Felix the snake]

I have heard this phrase quite a lot but I am unsure of it's meaning. I think it's a snake thats brighter than normal or something along those lines.

Can someone tell me what it is, how to see it in a snake and what is it genetically speaking???

Thanks a lot,

Andy

 

[MegF.]

The snake characteristically has less black. My aztec is hypo due to an amel gene she carries. She has thinner, less distinct black borders on her saddles, and the belly checkering is lighter. Hypo means low, melanin is what creates the black, hence: low black, or less black

 

[gardenmum]

My aztec is hypo due to an amel gene she carries.

Actually, hypo is not related to amel. Hypo is its own color mutation like amel is its own color mutation. They both sit on their own locus on the gene chain. The only hypo that is believed to share the locus with amel is the ultra gene, but that is a whole different package than the other "regular" hypos we know of. Unless you are referring to the fact that your aztec is an Ultramel.

If I am wrong, someone can correct me.


Felix, a good site to go to for many questions on morphs and genetics is this site. http://www.serpwidgets.com/Morphs/morphs.html

 

[Quigs]

That's precisely my understanding, Diane.

Hypo's have very little black on the at all. Has nothing to do with the Amel gene. Also the red coloring may be exagerated too on the hypo's.

Quigs

 

[MegF.]

That's interesting. The breeder told me my aztec was het for amel, and didn't have as dark a border as my new Okeetees as a result. My older aztec definitely has less dark borders than my new ones. So the amel gene would not affect the coloration at all? She must just naturally have less borders than the average Okeetee. This is her picture. You can see the borders are definitely less distinct than the babies.