In most cases, it's possible to see melanin in the shed skins of NON hypo A corns. In most cases, corns that are genotypically hypo A mutants have shed skins that are like those of albinos, devoid of melanin. I say "genotypically" because the general definition of hypomelanistic is GREATLY REDUCED MELANIN (usually relegated to the epidermis). Obviously a snake that has very little black could qualify as a hypomelanistic phenotype, but would still actually possess melanin in it's outer dermis, thereby disqualifying it as being a hypo A genotype (by today's standards).

If you examine the shed skin of your snake, and you are certain there is no melanin (very low amounts of it are sometimes difficult to see), it's very likely a hypo A corn (even if it's another pattern or color mutation also). If you see melanin corresponding to the darkest parts of your corn's pattern, it's usually NOT hypo A. I keep qualifying this information by saying thins like "usually" and "possibly" because exceptions have been reported AND because there are not only more than one hypomelanistic mutation in corns at this time, but surely more that have not yet appeared or are currently unidentifiable.

Good luck,
South Mountain Reptiles

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