That's really interesting. I didn't know that people were thinking there was a Barr body type effect controlling calico in retics. For those who don't know how this works, in genders where the sex chromosomes are the same, a common "strategy" is to simply turn of one copy of the chromosome, but this happens independently in different cells during development, so in some cells one copy is turned on, in others a different copy. The end result in cats say, is that some hair cells wind up developing one pignet color, while others are developing another, and you get this hodgepoge of a cat. I've never heard of this chromosome deactivation in reptiles before though. If someone has more concrete infromation on this please let me know. I know a few people who would be very interested.



Luis Bonachea

UF Department of Zoology

[ Hide Replies ]

• Thanks for the Genetics info. below....Some more questions on morphs. - jrphd, Wed Jan 14 12:49:34 2004
• RE: Thanks for the Genetics info. below....Some more questions on morphs. - BallBoutique, Wed Jan 14 13:07:16 2004
• RE: Thanks for the Genetics info. below....Some more questions on morphs. - grimdog, Wed Jan 14 14:02:08 2004
• Sex Linked - RandyRemington, Wed Jan 14 16:56:14 2004
• RE: Sex Linked - lbonachea, Fri Jan 16 11:53:43 2004
• NERD, more info on calico retic please - RandyRemington, Fri Jan 16 14:59:51 2004
• calico retic - RandyRemington, Fri Jan 16 15:15:47 2004
• RE: NERD, more info on calico retic please - Paul Hollander, Fri Jan 16 18:25:51 2004
• RE: NERD, more info on calico retic please - lbonachea, Mon Jan 19 13:51:14 2004