Reptile & Amphibian Forums

would someone explain to me what the term "super" means. I see super hypos and super salmons advertised. I assume it has something to do with the dominance of a particular gene.
Thanks.
John

Short answer: In herper pseudogenetics lingo, "super" means homozygous for a codominant or dominant mutant gene.

Long answer: Some years ago, a mutant gene in the reticulated python changed the pattern to one that was called tiger. A reticulated (retic) python with two normal genes looked normal, a retic with a tiger mutant gene paired with a normal gene had the tiger pattern, and a retic with two tiger mutant genes had a pattern that looked less like normal than the tiger pattern did. This more extreme version of the changed pattern was called super tiger.

Tiger was the first codominant mutant gene found in boas and pythons. It made quite a splash in herping circles. Up til then, all mutants in snakes except the striped mutant in the California king were recessive mutants. Since then, herpers have called snakes that are homozygous for dominant and codominant mutant genes "super" whatevers.

Paul Hollander

By the way, you have to be careful when talking genetics with herpers. Many have only learned herper pseudogenetics lingo. In particular, "dominant" and "codominant" have different meanings in standard genetics and herper pseudogenetics.

In herper pseudogenetics, a heterozygous (AKA "het" ) snake has a mutant gene paired with a normal gene and looks normal. In standard genetics, such a snake is heterozygous for a recessive mutant gene.

In herper pseudogenetics, a codominant snake has a mutant gene paired with a normal gene and does not look normal. In standard genetics, such a snake is heterozygous for a dominant or codominant mutant gene.

In herper pseudogenetics, a dominant snake has the same mutant gene as in the codominant snake. Except the dominant snake has a pair of the mutant genes rather than one mutant paired with one normal gene. In standard genetics, such a snake is homozygous for a dominant or codominant mutant gene.

Paul Hollander

That was the easiest to understand explanation I have read.

Thanks,

TC