Posted by:
DMong
at Thu Jun 5 22:35:21 2008 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by DMong ]
Pigment cells(chromatophores) known as xanthophores are responsible for yellow coloration, and in conjunction with keratin retention within these cells is what makes animals appear yellow, especially as they age.........so if this animal was axanthic, it would still remain black due to the melanin still being present, and would "mask" any possible axanthism the animal would have genotypically.
Now if the pupils are indeed BLACK, and not deep blood/ruby red as I mentioned in my previous post,....then this animal is still an amelanistic(albino) animal,...but it then would be better classified as a "paradox" albino, due to it's ability to retain melanin within the eye when it should NOT. If this is the case, it is certainly a very rare occurrence and I'm not aware of any of these in the hobby at all to date.
~Doug
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"Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open mouth and remove any doubt!"
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definitely not axanthic! - DMong, Thu Jun 5 22:35:21 2008