A case can be made that there are no leucistic ball pythons. The pro geneticists give a unique name to each mutant gene. The name reflects the appearance produced by the mutant gene.

A ball python mutant gene has been named "lesser platinum", another has been named "yellowbelly", another has been nmed "fire", etc. But none has been named "leucistic". Therefore there is no leucistic mutant gene in ball pythons.

When a mutant has been named "leucistc" then that is the "true" leucistic in that species. Any lookalikes are mimics that should be given their own unique names. It would be nice if the genetics and molecular biology of the leucistic mutant gene in the ball python is the same as those of the leucistic mutant gene in the Texas rat snake. However, that is not mandatory.

Paul Hollander

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