Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I’ve been thinking a lot about what the HypoSnow (Snoglo) would look like…I’ ve been reading on these forums a bit and I have come up with a discussion for debate that has peaked my interest.

So this is what I’ve gathered, in my terms (lehman)…I think that the Hypomelanistic Morph is misrepresented in the so-called hypo or salmon boas…because it simply means a reduction in black pigment where as these salmon boas also have a noticeable augmentation in red pigment. However, it seems that it is unsure on whether the yellow pigment is augmented or not….i think not….otherwise the ghost boa would be a “yellower” snake…therefore, if the yellow pigment is left unchanged; the red pigment augmented; and the black pigment diminished with this hypo trait, then by mixing in anerythrism and albinism will leave you with nothing other than what now looks like a snow boa…

However, if the yellow pigment is slightly augmented with the salmon trait, then the HypoSnow boa would look like a snow boa but with a more pronounced tone of yellow…

These are just my thoughts, I would love to hear what others have to say about this.

K.I.

Interesting subject...even if it just leads to discussing how to isolate the yellow pigment gene...to eliminate the yellow in the snows.
There are some hypos out there with intesified yellows as well as reds...mine are just that way as well......

I just think the boa world as a whole is still in the process of finding the missing link boa that will give the match for the genetic pattern that is missing. Namely these ...
Luecistic - Pieds - black - white - etc....

Take care, Andy Federico

I’ve been thinking a lot about what the HypoSnow (Snoglo) would look like…I’ ve been reading on these forums a bit and I have come up with a discussion for debate that has peaked my interest.

So this is what I’ve gathered, in my terms (lehman)…I think that the Hypomelanistic Morph is misrepresented in the so-called hypo or salmon boas…because it simply means a reduction in black pigment where as these salmon boas also have a noticeable augmentation in red pigment. However, it seems that it is unsure on whether the yellow pigment is augmented or not….i think not….otherwise the ghost boa would be a “yellower” snake…therefore, if the yellow pigment is left unchanged; the red pigment augmented; and the black pigment diminished with this hypo trait, then by mixing in anerythrism and albinism will leave you with nothing other than what now looks like a snow boa…

However, if the yellow pigment is slightly augmented with the salmon trait, then the HypoSnow boa would look like a snow boa but with a more pronounced tone of yellow…

These are just my thoughts, I would love to hear what others have to say about this.

K.I.

even if we are going to correctly identify them in a litter (i.e. possibly being confused with a Snow- odds are LOW). But, I believe the biggest indicator will be overall pattern reduction, both in the saddles and anterior rings around the tail markings. I believe the Triple color morphs (or hets) are invaluable, in that they can produce a myriad of different color variants in a single litter- not to mention, they will be helpful in making quadruple morphs! With this said, I still hope there is something unimaginable in the SNOWGLOW.
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Ron Michelotti

Class Reptilia
www.classreptilia.com

I imagine there could be more contrast between the shade of saddles ... and more of a "glowy" undertone like we see in sunglows versus albinos. Just speculation of course though...

Regarding hypos augmenting red, I disagree. Melanin hides red/yellow coloration. Reduce it (melanin) and it will reveal the reds/yellows. This is the whole basis of selectively bred "pastel" boas, which is reduced melanin in normal form (ie no single gene mutation). This is not to say that some hypo lines do not have tons of red tied to them ... I just do not believe that red is related to the single gene hypo mutation itself. I think it is more likely related to the polygenic phenotype of the bloodline.
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Take Care,

-Ryan Homsey

www.topnotchboas.com

>Regarding hypos augmenting red, I disagree.

Then what causes the color difference between albinos and sunglows? Both lack all melanin.

As for the difference between red and yellow pigment, one possible answer is that they are the same pigment. The yellow pigment cells might have fewer pigment granules or smaller pigment granules than the red pigment cells. Or the yellow pigment cells might be fewer per unit area of skin than the red pigment cells. This is not the only possible answer, but it is worth thinking about.

Paul Hollander

">Regarding hypos augmenting red, I disagree.

Then what causes the color difference between albinos and sunglows? Both lack all melanin."

The same thing that causes the color difference between a pastel albino and a normal albino. Reduce black in a normal then wave the albino magic wand and change it into an albino and it will have more contrast/color than if the black had not been reduced. Even though albinism lacks melanin, the amount of melanin that would have been present still effects the phenotype. Case and point: Look at the white rings in the tail splotches of albinos and sunglows. That is where black would have been. If you bred a boa with little to no black in its tail splotches into that albino line.. the results albinos down the road would have increased red in the tail splotches... not because red was increased but because melanin was decreased.
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Take Care,

-Ryan Homsey

www.topnotchboas.com

First off I have not bred even my first sunglow or snow (yet) so I am NOT an expert by any means.

My understanding of the genetics are in my feeble laymans terms:

Albino = absence of black pigment
Anerythristic = absence of red pigment
Hypo = Reduces the visual affect of the blck pigment and increases the affect of the red (maybe also increases the yellow?). From what I've read, nobody seams to know how this is working exactly, only speculation.

so:

Ghost is Hypo/Anery or no red pigment and reduction or muting of the black. fits

Snow is albino/anery or no red pigment and no black pigment or white (yellow) fits

Sunglow is Hypo/Albino or no black pigment and an increase in the affect of the red and maybe yellow. Fits

Snowglow would be Hypo/albino/anery or no black pigment, no red pigment and maybe an increse in the affect of yellow? Obviously only a guess.

I'm thinking the snowglow has two possible outcomes:

1) basically indestinguishable from a snow
2) very similar to snow except more of a glossy look?
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Thanks,

Dave "Rainbows-R-Us"

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB)
4.12 Brazilian Rainbow Boa
2.1 Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 Het for Hypomelanistic BRB
0.1 BCI "Elvira" normal from 1989
1.0 BCI albino / het-anery
0.1 BCI Hypo / het-albino
0.1 BCI Anery / het-albino
0.1 BCI Hypo (possible super)
1.0 BCI albino het stripe
1.0 BCI salmon hypo
0.1 BCI ghost

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats