Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I had a few questions on your new HOTLEY litter. Since the mom was a harlequin does that make all of the babies harlequin or just half? In the classifieds I noticed that you have a halequin motley for sale. Just curious if there is anything different about him that would make you know he was a harlequin. I am a big fan of the harlequins, I just think when combining this trait to other morphs it would be difficult to determine which babies had the harlequin gene. Also, do you have any plans with that awesome orange tail harlequin female next season? Any info would be great.
Michael Burton

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It is my understanding that, at this point, harlequin is considered a bloodline and all animals produced within this bloodline are considered "harlequins".

A decent analogy I could give you is Pete Kahl's stripe line. All boas from that bloodline are deemed "stripeline" boas.
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Take Care,

-Ryan Homsey

www.topnotchboas.com

Ryan,
Could you explain a little more. My main question would be if you took the halequin motley that Brock is selling bred it to a normal. Took a normal from that litter and bred it to whatever, would all of the babies still be harlequins? Would any of them show the abberencies that some of the harlequins have? I would just think that eventually through many generations the babies would stop showing the harlequin colors and pattern. Besides the stripeline, is there any other bloodlines where all of the offspring would be considered that bloodline? Thanks.
Michael Burton

Tim Magee's site because he's the founder of the Harlequin line and he's much better at explaining the genetics of the line. I wasn't trying to blow you off but all the questions you're asking are on there and I didn't see the need to reprint them here. Not trying to insult you but if you were going to spend this much on an animal with this much genetic possibility why in the world would you want to breed it back to a normal??? You could but it doesn't make any sense?? (or Dollars and Cents) I would think the at the very least would be to breed it to a Harlequin Hypo 100% het Albino (which I know Tim and Brendan hope to have this year) male to see if she proves out with a Harlequin Sunglow Motley and add a double dose of Harlequin into the mix or a Motley 100% het Albino. I plan to hold onto all the HOTLEYS and produce some amazing new Morphs in the years to come with them, hopefully one of them will be a Harlequin Super Sunglow Super Motley. As for your question about the Mom, she's going right back in with the Motley male, I can't think of any better combo for her. Hope this answers most of your questions anyway, if you have any more feel free to e-mail me at Brock@SunglowBoa.com
Thanks, Brock

I think a hypo harlequin 100% het albino would definately be the best choice for the mate. Obviously noone would breed a harlequin motley to a normal. Here is a better example. If you took a normal harlequin bred it to a hypo. Took a normal baby from that litter and bred it to another hypo. Took a hypo from that litter and bred it to a hypo. Would all of the babies be halequin hypos and harlequin normals. Would some of these babies show the harlequin abberancies?
Michael Burton

We really dont know how the genetics are working with the harlequins... seems to be some funky stuff going on. The patternless has really thrown everyone for a loop as well.

So we really dont know which individuals within the bloodline are going to throw aberrant or high color traits. Therefore everything produced by the bloodline is considered harlequin... at this point it doesnt matter how many generations down.

I think you are dead on in saying that as you get into further outcrossed generations that the harlequin traits will be weakened. I believe this has been observed through trails with the harlys. Often I have seen the Magee's refer to 1/4 blood harlequins .. or 1/8th.. etc . The more harlequin blood the better. But, again, at this point it doesnt matter if its 1/2 harly blood of 1/64... they are still considered harlequin... There is no phenotype parameters to define what is and isnt... only the bloodline.
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Take Care,

-Ryan Homsey

www.topnotchboas.com

n/p