Posted by:
zonatahunt
at Sun May 16 02:16:10 2010 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by zonatahunt ]
Jerry,
Sorry for not responding to your questions sooner, but I've been hitting the field pretty hard the past two days looking for z's. Now that I've got a few minutes before tomorrow's field activities I'll do my best to answer your inquiries.
As far as I know, there has only been one true 'anery' found in the field. It was collected almost eight years ago from a locale about 150 miles north of where your stock originates from. It is actually pictured in my book in the multicincta section. Sadly, the animal died in it's water dish after emerging from hibernation (that's why I NEVER do damn breeding loans!). I believe the gene for this phenotype can be found throughout the central Sierra Nevada, but 'hotspots' or 'pockets' of 'anery' populations may be a little much (I don't think purifying selection will act to strongly to remove this gene from populations, as it's phenotypic expression may not really be that maladaptive - black-and-white patterns are considered to be highly cryptic!).
As for the prevalence of this morph in private collections, as I said before, the people who have this morph prefer to remain unnamed and are highly secretive of their collections. Trust me, since their emergence nearly ten years ago, they have been gifted to multiple people, all of whom who have adult snakes that are breeding annually. Remember, people in California with the proper permits are not allowed to sell their animals (regardless of permits noone in CA is allowed to sell their snakes) so they simply gift them to close friends or other people who want to work with this morph. But, you are correct, considering how many people are into herps, the number of people who work with this morph are readily in the minority.
I said in the previous post, this morph is unique. I'm glad we both have the opportunity to work with them, as they're really kick ass! Good luck with your clutches and I wish you better than 50% 'anery' hatching success (if I remember right both of your males are het, correct?)!
I'm off to sleep now, as the field is calling me for a coast return tomorrow. =)
Mitch
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Sorry for the delay - zonatahunt, Sun May 16 02:16:10 2010