I was thinking something similar... about the eye color. Perhaps the genetics which are causing this 'light bulb' effect in the hets are close to the albino gene? not on the same allele (can't have two genes on one allele right?) but close to it? On the same locus? Maybe the eye color is dominant when paired with one amelistic gene? It seems to me that the Amelanism (sp?) (albino) has shown itself to work in a typically recessive fashion, so I am hesitant to try to reclassify it.

The proven '98 het that I have was originaly from PK, he does have pretty light eyes, even at 5.5', I'll have to check tonight to see just how 'bright' they are.

Perhaps it is similar to the one-eye defect soemtimes seen in the albinos? Not all albinos have one eye but the defect shows up in the line? Theory being it is somehow connected to the albino gene since (as far as I know) I don't hear about one-eyed hets.

Geez, you can tell I haven't been to science class in a long time huh?

There is so much still to try to understand!
I think that's part of the fun.
Thanks for sharing all this info Jeff!
-April

This was an interesting term I learned at the below glossary.. hmm...makes me think...
epistasis:
The masking of the phenotypic effect of alleles at one gene by alleles of another gene. A situation in which the phenotypic expression of a genotype at one locus depends upon the genotype at another locus.

Genetics Glossary

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