I too think that the "albino" Bairdi are hypomelanistic Bairdi. True amelanistics will not have black pupils or ruby pupils (like some corn morphs that have reduced, but not absent melanin). You wouldn't see the longitudinal lining at all. All of the "metal" should be lost if there is no melanin as well.



I've written on what I think of the "T plus albino" term before, so I won't dredge that up. Suffice it to say I don't use it and feel it is only pertinent if you are trying to tell the difference between an amelanistic animal with a functioning Tyr gene and an amelanistic animal without a functioning Tyr gene. An animal showing any amount of melanin is by default T positive since melanin is being produced.



On the hypomelanism front, keep in mind that there is more than one way to get the appearance of reduced black...only one of which is to simply have a faulty tyrosinase gene and have a reduction in pigment produced. In the corn world, there are currently 4 proven (and possibly soon to be 5) types of "hypomelanism".



I believe the "true" hypomelanism is the Ultra gene, which is an allele to amel in corns. It does not affect the pattern at all, just like amelanism. Its only effect is to reduce the amount of melanin. When an animal carries both ultra genes, it looks like a typical hypo (colorwise). When it carries an ultra gene paired with an amel gene (dubbed an "ultramel" ), the animal is much lighter, exhibiting a phenotype halfway between "ultra" and "amel" in lightness. These animals also often have deep ruby pupils as hatchlings, rather than black or red, again showing the reduction, but not lack of melanin. When the animal carries both amel genes at that locus, you get your standard amel.



The standard hypo gene (Hypomelanism Type A) in corns seems to me to be more of a pattern morph, almost like a failure of the melanocytes to spread out to their normal destinations during pigment cell migration, leaving an animal with thin to non-existant saddle borders, often bronzed belly checks (vs. black), and a cleaner "hypo" look overall. I wish we had more studies in this, but the most obvious example is to look at Hypo A Okeetees and standard Okeetee phased animals. The borders are greatly reduced.



Sunkissed (formerly Hypo type B) is obviously a pattern gene. Look up a few and you'll see that. They tend to have bizarre patterns, especially on the head. Their body shape is a little different as well.



Lava is the most extreme hypo I've seen to date, but again, is showing pattern anomalies such as a clear line down the belly, absence of black tiger bars at the mouth, and often a waxy overall look with extreme white sheds.



In these cases, I'd call Standard Hypo, Lava, and Sunkissed pattern hypos and ultra and ultramel color hypos.



Just some thoughts.



Lovely Bairdi, I almost picked up a pair of "albino" Bairi at the last Tinley show and am still kicking myself for not doing so. :D
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~~~Hurley

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