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Mega Line _ Heavy Polyzona Influence?

RG Oct 24, 2012 10:44 PM

Jimmy had observed something in a previous post of mine; about potential Polyzona influence in my version of "Hobby Hondos" AKA my Mega Hypo stuff.

I totally agree, and I've had that very same thought before (broken snout band, heavy tipping in the inner triad, etc.), so here are some neonate pics followed by recent pics (today) to show you all why I see heavy Polyzona influence.

Female, Tricolor Mega 66% Het Snow, Neonate (2011):

Female, Tricolor Mega 66% Het Snow, Yearling(Oct 2012):

Female, Ghost 66% Het Amel, Neonate (2011):

Female, Ghost 66% Het Amel, Yearling (Oct 2012):

Bi-colors in the making!

One other thing that I've noticed, many of my "Hobby Hondos" (not just the Mega Line stuff) have bifurcated frontal head scales...anyone have a theory why that would occur?

-Rusty
Image

Replies (12)

DMong Oct 25, 2012 12:28 PM

Yes,......I would have to strongly agree with the polyzona influence in the "hobby Hondos" being the likely reason for this highly tipped-up and broken snout band phenotype as well, Rusty. It only makes perfect sense actually. Barczyk's and Porras' original hets and amels from the early-mid 90's were the very same way, only the amels were white-tipped. They were originally authentic L.t.polyzona until they were bred with every other "Hondo" looking type of milksnake under the sun here in the U.S.

After all, L.t polyzona are not "ugly" Honduran milks,.....they are Atlantic Central American Milksnakes (L.t.polyzona)!!!..

This is not to say that the "mega" animals are pure L.t. polyzona, because they certainly are NOT!,.....however, this IS the L.t.polyzona TRAIT being displayed from their past intergradation breedings in the country since they were imported here in the states from Leipzig, Germany from the Hortenbach's.

I have seen a good number of totally un-outcrossed normal phenotype animals from Germany, and they are without question extremely melanized, tipped-up, genuine red and black bi-colored L.t.polyzona.

Nevermind the countless pics I could post of many known 100% authentic L.t.polyzona from different locales......how's this for some compelling additional proof?...

It turns out that even Scott Ballard's bloodline of authentic Flores/de Peten, Guatemalan polyzona were even used by Brian Barczyk when he first acquired the amels and hets from Germany. Fortunately Scott's pure locale poly bloodline is still going strong to this very day despite what some others have done with them over the years.

This is where the pure authentic L.t.polyzona trail pretty much ends abruptly pertaining to BHB's and Porras' amels, because I am sure that Brian bred these snakes with not only a few of these pure L.t.polyzona that were acquired, but also with whatever else he had in his large collection of Hondo-type triangulum to produce more of these very high-dollar amels. From this point forward, these also became varying intergrade percentages of several of the Latin milksnakes people had in the hobby. This would include L.t.abnorma, L.t.hondurensis, L.t.stuarti, and even a few L.t.oligozona, and who knows what else tossed in here and there over the years. I have personally noted tell-tale L.t.stuarti characteristics in the early anerythristics and hets as well.

Also, all of the truly authentic L.t.abnorma that were ever in the hobby back then that originated from Tom Crutchfield's late 1980's Lago de Izabal locale bloodline have completely vanished too since the mid-late 1990's from them being inadvertently bred into the Hobby-Hondo melting pot by all these casual hobbyists that never knew the differences (or cared).

Anyway, here are just two very interesting and very indisputable posts made back in 1999 regarding the polyzona equation...

Posted by John Fraser on May 23, 1999 at 19:11:23:

In Reply to: Polyzona, anyone else have these? posted by Wayne on May 22, 1999 at 11:43:35:

Does anyone else have these Milks? Am i right to assume that they are very similar size and temperment as my Andean Milks? Anything special, or different in their husbandry needs?
Wayne, I have 1.3 breeder L.t. polzona's, I've had my polyzona since 1990 & have produced a number of good clutchs of eggs from them. These milksnakes are very hardy, eat well on mice, & generally very mild in temperament. My adults are 3 to 4 1/2' long & I hibernate them with my US milksnakes each winter for about 100 days at 54-58F . They generally lay from 3-8 huge eggs, the neonates average 10-12" at hatching & always take pinkie or lg pinkie mice. I originally purchased my trio of L.t. polyzona from a good friend in Southern Illinois, Scott Ballard, & these snakes were from locality caught stock that Scott had exact locale data on. In appearance, these are very text-book looking polyzona, some turn to a nice bi-color as adults, some stay tri-colored, with the black tipping nearly obscuring the white/yellow rings. Need more information?, email me & I'll be happy to answer you.....John Fraser

Response from Pete Cragg

John,
I bought the wild caught trio from Scott Ballard in 1992 and later sold them to Brian Barczyk for use in his albino polyzona project. He bought up every L. t. polyzona he could find. These later turned out to be albino Hondurans. I think Brian still has them. Keep them the same as a honduran and you will not go wrong.
They were great feeders and keepers in my care
Good Herping

Pete

original link below:

http://forum.kingsnake.com/milk/messages/102.html

I love the part that states...."these turned out to be albino Hondurans"..HAHA!!

ps....yeah, I have noticed that many do have bifercated (split) frontal scales, and many don't. I have no idea what's going on there though......

........enjoy!

~Doug
-----
"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

gerryg Oct 25, 2012 05:29 PM

Another informative reply... one that I've already saved to my hd simply to avoid using this sites god awful search function somewhere down the road, but...

Bite your tongue! Scott's animals were never used in such a manner!

Gerry

DMong Oct 25, 2012 08:01 PM

"Bite your tongue! Scott's animals were never used in such a manner!"

Yeah, and ironically, for a very short while, Scott's locale stock actually helped keep them genuine polyzona for just a tad longer than they otherwise would have been, but it was very short-lived because of all the other hobby stock those guys also had and bred them with..........

As you can imagine, Scott was absolutely "thrilled" to learn recently that his authentic Flores/de Peten polyzona were involved with the hobby Hondo breedings back then..LOL!

~Doug
-----
"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

RG Oct 26, 2012 01:09 PM

Awesome Doug, I'm glad you're keeping track of all the details!

Here's some more pics from today.

Denbar Oct 26, 2012 05:52 PM

Your new pictures really came out nice! What an amazing transformation in only a year! It will be interesting to find out how your investigation ends up.

--Dennis

DMong Oct 26, 2012 06:10 PM

Thanks Rusty....

You know me,.....gotta know and keep records of what things REALLY are in this hobby....

Dang!, those are some smokin photos of the mega line stuff!

I think I know where to display those...

~Doug
-----
"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

gerryg Oct 25, 2012 03:48 PM

I've heard of this line before of course but all post I recall reading made the assumption that everybody knew what the Mega Line was... sorry to say I'm clueless on the matter... so if anyone doesn't mind providing a little education I'd appreciate it.

What I know right now is anything with a little poly in it can't be all bad.

Gerry

RG Oct 26, 2012 01:12 PM

It's really unknown...time will tell, but I'm working on it!

DMong Oct 26, 2012 06:34 PM

"It's really unknown...time will tell, but I'm working on it!"

HAHAHAHAA!!!!!! I'm almost crying laughing because I know the will to continually type this complex and lengthy story out has got you totally worn out, especially after what you gave me recently..LOL!

Gerry, I know it can be somewhat of a pain, but if you do some forum searches using "mega" as the key word, I'm sure there will be plenty of stuff that comes up regarding it.

cheers, ~Doug
-----
"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Sunherp Oct 25, 2012 06:06 PM

Very good stuff, man. Beautiful snakes, too!

Hold tight for another year or so and they'll all be polyzona, anyway. LOL But seriously... a genetic and morphological reevaluation is strongly pointing that way from what I've heard.
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_______________________

-Cole

RG Oct 26, 2012 01:11 PM

Very interesting stuff Cole, let me know when you hear something!

Good to see you're still around!

DMong Oct 26, 2012 06:00 PM

I agree Jimmy, .....was that pure comedy, or what!??..

~Doug
-----
"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

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