Trying to put together a Genetics 101 primer related to Boa morph genetics. Would appreciate any and all suggestions/corrections. Specifically in the description of the various morphs. Or any thing I left out. I'd like to make changes/corrections and save the doc for reposting when newbies such as mysef ask some of the basic genetics questions, maybe not even the whole primer, only the applicable sections?


Be kind....



Genetics 101:


Terms:

Mutant gene = any gene that is different from the corresponding normal gene. Not necessarily a visual mutation.

Het = heterozygous = having two different genes within a gene pair. Most commonly one normal and one mutant but could be two different mutant genes.

Hom = Homozygous = having both genes within a gene pair the same. Can be normal or mutant.

Super = slang term commonly used for Hom dominant mutant gene pair.

Trait = Physical appearance that it distinguishable from normal.

Recessive = Trait is only expressed when the gene pair is Hom for the specific mutant gene.

Dominant = Trait is expressed when the gene pair is Het or Hom for the specific mutant gene. Het and Hom specimens are not 100% distinguishable from each other. Note, in some Dominant traits some of the specimens can be visually identified as Het or Hom.

Codominant = Similar to Dominant except the Hom specimen will have a 100% distinguishable appearance from a Het specimen.

Double Het = has two gene pairs where one gene in each pair is normal and the second gene is a mutant gene. Ie double Het for snow would have a normal gene paired with an albino gene and a normal gene paired with an anerythristic gene.

Triple Het = same as double Het except applies to three gene pairs.



Some identified visual traits in boas:

Albino - Recessive - a lack of black pigmentation

Anerythristic - Recessive - a lack of red pigmentation

Stripe - Recessive - sections of dorsal patterns that are connected in a continuos stripe.

T-positive - Recessive - ..........

Hypo - Dominant - a reduction in the black pigmentation

Motley - Codominant - A pattern morph where .........

Jungle - Dominant - A Swedish line of boas that........

Arabesque - Dominant - a pattern morph where ........

Pastel - A line of boas selectively bred for less than normal black pigment, not related to a single gene pair.



Some named multiple gene pair combinations:

Snow - Albino and Anerythristic
Ghost - Anerythristic and Hypo
Sunglow - Albino and Hypo
Moonglow - Albino, Anerythristic and Hypo
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
2.7 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (adult breeders)
2.5 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (sub-adult from 2004)
4.8 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (sub-adult from 2005)
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

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