hypermelanistic nt carpet

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Hi All (esp. in NT)
Does anyone know the details on the hypermelanistic darwin carpet that is on snakes Nt web site. How old and what sex, have they or do they intend breeding it etc etc.
Cheers
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Nope sorry mate... i know a WHOLE heap about nuffin.

I do, Ben doesnt have it anymore (my friend has) it is breeding size for this year and is a male. However the guy that has it didnt bother to get a female for it, so looks no breeding until next year.

It is a beautiful snake and fairly docile.

good work Baritji!!

[Switch]

Is there a difference between hypomelanistic and hypermelanistic or is that a spelling thingo, not being smart i was wondering if there is a difference cause ive seen both spellings before also.

[Fuscus]

hypo = less of
hypomelanistic = less black pigmentation
hyper = more of
hypermelanistic = more black pigmentation

[NCHERPS]

Switch,
Hypermelanistic means increased melanin(Black) and Hypomelanistic means reduced or no Black.

Ben told me that he had another one before this one, that was even blacker, but it died unfortunately.

Could be some interesting snakes in the future between them and the albino variegata's.

Neil

[eddy]

did anyone here about the albino olive pythons that where bred and sold for heaps ?

[Fuscus]

Originally Posted by eddy

did anyone here about the albino olive pythons that where bred and sold for heaps ?

big article by the breeder in this months Reptiles OZ mag

Yup, I know the guy that bred them well too!! He never actually sold them for heeps tho hehe, just had em for sale for heeps . They have come down now and a few people have bought them, The same guy with the black carpet has 7 heterozygous albino Olives

[Switch]

Im not sure i want to ask you to explain heterozygous.....

It ould taje a while to explain it ...but basically iff he breeds to of em together he will get 25 percent of the hatchies albino

[Fuscus]

Originally Posted by Switch

Im not sure i want to ask you to explain heterozygous.....

Recessive genes 101.
Some genetic characteristics (like Albinism) are controlled by a single recessive gene. This means that for the characteristic to manifest itself, then both parents must donate the gene to the animal. Genes are paired,
For a recessive gene to manifest itself then both parts of that gene must carry that characteristic. Normally you describe the gene that you are interested in capital letters and the other genes in lower case.
So in this case the part of the gene for Albinism would be noted as X while a non-Albinism gene would be shown as x.
So the albino animals gene is XX while the other animals gene is xx.
Now each parent will donate only on half of the gene each so dad gives an X and mum gives an x so baby?s gene will be Xx, i.e. It contains the coding for albinism but the animal doesn?t show it. This is a heterozygous animal, the genes expression is masked.

Mum = XX and can only donate an X
Dad = xx and con only donate an x
All young will be Xx.

Now the fun bit and this is where it gets fuzzy. The next generation, breeding the offspring together

Mum = Xx and can donate a X or a x
Dad = Xx and can donate a X or a x

So baby can be either

XX which carries the gene (albinism) and expresses it.
Xx which carries the gene (albinism) and expresses it (heterozygous)
xx which does not have the gene at all

With all things being equal the odds are approximately 25% XX, 50% Xx and 25% xx. But these are only odds, you can luck out with an entire clutch of XX or an entire clutch of xx.

Of course this is a simplistic example, you can get double recessive genes, sex-linked genes, mutations, fatal genes that prevent development of the animal above a few cells.

Anyhow Switch, do you regret the question now?

[Ricko]

so how do you tell if it is hetorozygous or not?

[Fuscus]

If the animals parents were XX and xx then you can assume that the offspring are all Xx. If the parents are Xx and Xx then you normaly won't be able to tell if the offspring is Xx or xx. Some times a Xx form will express itself in a different form then xx. This normally doesn't happen with albinism so you have to take your chances approx 2 of 3 animals will carry the gene.