What is the difference between a Hypo alligator snapper and Leucistic Alligator snapping turtles? I have seen both names thrown around loosely. Are leucistics suppose to be all white? Steve Irwin referred to a crocodile on one of his shows being leucistic but it was a light yellow with green spots. Can you see my confusion?
Reptile & Amphibian Forums
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
Question about different color morphs
vanstorm
Jan 15, 2007 08:51 PM
Replies (2)
SteveH
Jan 16, 2007 05:21 PM
i'm no expert on the subject,but my understanding is a leucistic is all white or yellow with dark eyes. and a hypo is just a lighter skin and shell color(pinkskins). email john richards on the matter. in my opinion a leucistic is an albino without pink eyes. i believe snappers throw off various colors to match thier enviroments,( stemming from thier parents and the color sand they were hatched in.} any more opinions?
rick d
Jan 17, 2007 08:10 PM
According to Bechtel's book, "Reptile and Amphibian Variants", an albino lacks melanin which makes the dark pigment so the eyes are red.
In leucism the chromatophores, iridophores and xanthophores which all have to do with color are not produced, so no color or pattern is seen. A leucistic turtle is pure white with dark eyes. The lighter colored snappers just have various degrees of hypomelanism or a reduction of melanin.
