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I would love to know the ssp of this critter... Can anyone do so with certainty? Is anyone doing DNA typing that would confirm/preclude a lewisi in the mix?

Loods like cyclura nubila cayman hybrid with a very faint amount of lewisi. I have heard that fewer or no cheverons on the back and less cycled spikes are lewisi traits.

Thanks for the response. I hadn't really considered a C. n. caymanensis hybrid nor was I aware of the chevron counts.

What does "less cycled" mean with regard to the spikes. I am not familiar with that term.

I've done facial scale comparisons with no definitive success. I've tried to find researchers doing phenotyping to no avail. I even contacted the breeder but was unable to get confirmation of the parentage.

The dilemma is that this specimen is the only adult male in my mini-colony. I would like to breed my females this year but do not want to compromise the subspecific purity. I guess I'll be in the market for another male until I can nail down this guy's lineage...

Thanks again!

The search continues...

Spikes that point straight up are less cycled. Spikes that curve back are cycled. Chances of getting a DNA check are pretty slim. It is what it is, enjoy it.

just to throw a wrench in your works. I think it looks more cuban. It doesnt have the head shape of a cayman to me. Some Cubans have some blue to them. Chevrons are not a good judge. There are plenty of pure lewisi with bold chevrons. I wouldnt bet on anything I just said due to the age of the animal. As it gets older a better guess could be made. There is no way to be absolute with all the hybrids out there unless you want a dna test.

I have a Cuban x Caymenensis hybrid and she looked very much like the one you have when she was younger, with the exception that she does not have the bluish head. In my opinion he is a Cuban x Lewisi Hybrid.

a nubila, caymenensis, lewisi hybrid. These triple hybrids are pretty common. I think most of David Blairs are the 3 way hybrid and there are a lot of those animals out there.

N/P = No post

It's not like there aren't enough wrenches already in the works... Blair was the breeder. He (the cyclura, not David) is about 7 years old. I'll try to get a new photo. The other is 2 years old.

Any ideas where one might get DNA phenotyping done?

was already done to get a baseline on what a pure lewisi is. I am not sure dna testing would give you a percentage of what the animal actually is but I could be wrong as I am no expert. I believe any of this is very expensive if paying to have it done. You might want to contact David and maybe he can give you a little more detail on the animal if you know who the parents are. Good luck. Tom