Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What does everyone think about Leucistic Boas?

When do you think they will be produced?

Sounds like a great topic to talk about...

Andy
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What is your definition of Leucistic? By mine, Ball Pythons have yet to produce a Leucistic. It all has to do with chromatophores.
Amelanistic = no melanin, Achromatophoric animals don't have chromatophores or they are not functioning. Chromatophores are what bring melanin, xanthin, and erythin together and the product of iridiphores.

A Leucistic animal is Achromatophoric. It has all the ingredients for its color, but since the chromatophores aren't working, it appears white. Each of the White Ball Pythons can/does show some pigment on their body (shades or yellow, pink, grey, etc.). The Black-eyed or Super Fire BP is the closest (visually) as some have no color, but most have yellow scales in random locations. I believe the Super Lesser also produces some that are pure white.

"artificial" Leucistic boa could be produced if we find an axanthic boa. By making a triple homozygous Albino, Anery, Axanthic, it would theoretically take on the appearance of a Leucistic, even though it is technically not.

The genes are out there!

Help...!!!....When you say Axanthic Anery Albino

Please explain what happens....

What exactly is Axanthic....is it just lacking yellow and reds?

How would this guy fit that catagory?

Just curious...

Andy
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possible het for Leucistic.
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Chris & Alliey
www.bloodyleopard.com
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Wouldn't that be so cool Chris.

Andy
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Your snake has lost all meaning! Terrific boa!

Let's go with Chris' definition on that one, lol.

Axanthic would be a boa without yellow pigment. I do not know if one could exist without also being anerythristic, as I do not know how close the genes are in the two. Hold, on this isn't making any sense. If you can't follow what I wrote, sorry, I can't either.

HOWEVER, the Type II Jeremy used to start the Blizzard project may be Axanthic, and that is part of the reason everyone wants to see the Blizzard. We will not know if it is axanthic until the albino version (blizzard) exists. If the Blizzard has no yellow, and developes no yellow pigment with age as Snows do, then it would be safe to say that it is Axanthic as well.

Hmmm??? thinking

when I say Axanthic Anery Albino, I mean Axanthic Snow, which translates to a Snow without Yellow which essentially means a WHITE boa! If only dreams come true!

In that case, shouldn't we be carefully scrutinizing every boa that doesn't turn yellow?

That is even better info for me then Chris...Thanks! Although...I have no real understanding of those big words you use...I do think I get your point.
I think we are closer than people realize! Andy
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for explaining it all to me. They know who they are!

My spelling may be off , but here are some general things that may help.

Xanthiphores - yellow pigments
Erythriphores - red pigments
Melanophores - black pigments
Iridiphores - iridesence
Chromatophores - bring them all together

What colors do you think would be produced with an albino super motley? Would it make a difference if it was a super Central American motley or a super Columbian motley? I was thinking that one was more black and one had a tint of purple. But I'm not sure.

Thanks

may work. It really depends on how the Super Motley really affects the animal. Does it block out other colors because of high amounts of melanin? If so, the Albino version would release underlying colors.
I have a feeling this is how it will work. Look at the Motley, and the Super. The Super is like a Motley with only saddle color. The Albino Motley has color in its saddles, so the Super would as well under this condition.

For the Albino Super Motley to produce a white boa, the Super Motley would have to have a fault of some sort in xanthin and erythin.

The first Colombian Super Motleys were Purple, they have been very dark recently. C.A. Super Motleys are Black. I think the two are going to have slight differences in the Albino, but I don't think that either will produce a truely white boa.

was actually produced by a Motley to a normal and may still prove to be something other than a Super Motley. That would explain why it has a much different look than others that have been produced. Vinnie