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Corn Snake Genetics and Terminology

Definitions

Phenotype - 

Genotype - 

Locality - 

Phase - 

Morph - 

Dominant - 

Recessive - 

Incomplete Dominant - 

Heterozygous (het) - 

Homozygous - 

Gene(s) - 

Alleles - 

Allelic - 

Compatible - 

Incompatible - 

Dominant Genes/Morphs

  • Tessera - Primarily a pattern mutation, this morph changes the saddles along the spine/back of a normal patterned snake into lines and stripes running from head to tail. These stripes can run the length of the animal, but are often broken up, irregular, and interrupted by saddle colored stripes reaching accross base colored stripes. Tessera also changes the side pattern into jagged and irregularly shaped botches that can connect to each other. Belly Checkers can be similar to normals, centered in the middle of the belly, reduced, and/or absent (all possible without being effected by another gene/morph). Headstamp is relatively unaffected compared to a normal patterned snake. Other pattern morphs like Motley, Stripe, Sunkissed, Masque, and Terrazzo moderately effect this morph when visually combined with Tessera. This morph is not known to be visual when combined with Palmetto (homozygous) and can only be proven to be present by the animal's offspring (until genetic testing becomes available). Tessera is indistinguishable between its Homozygous and Heterozygous form.

Incomplete Dominant Genes/Morphs

  • Cinder - Also known as Anery C and formerly known as Ashy. This is one of the few known and proven morphs that effects structure as well as color and pattern. In its Heterozygous form, Cinder tends to reduce yellow pigments, disrupt saddle borders (making saddles appear more jagged and different in shape than normals), and change head and snout structure. Het Cinder corn snakes tend to have a Miami type appearance with more grey shaded base color. They also tend to have slightly shorter/smaller snouts than non-cinders, which doesn't seem drastic enough to effect the animal's ability to take sizeable prey or quality of life. This morph in its Homozygous form has a similar effect as Anerythristic and Charcoal by eliminating most colors. Reduced red in the saddles is often the only color remaining other than black and greys. They also tend to have slightly shorter/smaller snouts than non-cinders, which doesn't seem drastic enough to effect the animal's ability to take sizeable prey or quality of life. An interesting note is that this morph has a unique effect on other pattern morphs, sometimes drastically altering the normal expression of colors and patterns of Cinder Combos (for example, Shatter corn snakes are incredibly unique and special combos!)
  • Halo/Greenblotch - Believed to only be visible on amelanistic corn snakes, the following description is based on a Snow (Amelanistic + Anerythristic visual combo). Halo is the heterozygous form/expression of the gene, and changes the saddle border and belly checker color from white/off-white into a greenish-yellow color. Greenblotch is the Homozygous form/expression of the gene. In addition to the effects of Halo being visible, the entire saddle is yellowish-green. This gives the animal the appearance of having greenish-yellow saddles on a white base color (hence the name). Red, yellow, orange, and black coloration all "cover up" the halo/greenblotch coloration, and can often make it difficult to identify whether the gene is present in an animal.
  • Masque - This gene effects both pattern and color in varying amounts, and can be difficult to identify in heterozygous animals. Expression of this gene varies widely. Masque often reduces black pigment (thinner borders for example, not changing the black to grey). The most visual effects are the headstamp and belly checkers; Headstamp is reduced or blown out, and the saddle colored markings on the head often resemble the eyes of Spider-man or Venom's mask (thought to be the reason for the name). Belly checkers are reduced from the middle of the belly and pushed toward the edges, described as split belly checkers (normal corn snake's belly checkers usually meet and connect at the middle of the belly). Super Masque has the same visual identifiers as Masque, but to a stronger degree. Headstamp is heavily effected and reduced, sometimes almost patternless. Belly checkers are heavily reduced and show up as small specks along the edges of the belly, leaving the belly mostly clear. Masque and super masque mildly effects other genes visually present in an animal, and these effects vary. 
  • Palmetto - Currently known as the only Leucistic morph in corn snakes. The heterozygous form acts similarly to Hypomelanism, but reduces the amount of black pattern on the animal as apposed to reducing the intensity of black coloration (see Hypomelanistic in recessive genes/morphs section). Het Palmetto corns tend to look like faded versions of their visual morph. Visual Palmettos are primarily white snakes with specks of pigment scattered throughout their bodies. At the time of writing, no morph combos affect pattern or distribution of specks, only the color of the specks (and eyes of course). "Eggnog Palmetto" is a Palmetto with yellow shading starting at the base of the head fading towards the belly and tail. the cause of this yellow coloration is unknown and being studied by DGB Exotics.
  • Red Factor (Redfactor) - Red Factor is one of the only red adding genes in corn snakes. The Coral Snow (Amelanistic + Anerythristic + Heterozygous Red Factor) and Salmon Snow (Amelanistic + Anerythristic + Homozygous Red Factor) are the best examples of this mutation, where the animal should be shades of white, Red Factor makes these animals appear pink and bright pink respectively. A normal corn snake should be red, black, and orange (base color, ranging from grey and brown to bright orange), a Red Factor normal would lose orange in exchange for intensifying red (stronger red pigment in Homozygous Red Factor animals). This gene does not seem to effect the appearance of visual Charcoal animals (evidence for or against this observation needed)

Recessive Genes/Morphs

  • Amelanistic - 
  • Anerythristic - 
  • Black Diamond - 
  • Caramel - 
  • Charcoal - 
  • Diffused/Bloodred - 
  • Dilute - 
  • Hypomelanistic (Hypo) - 
  • Kastanie - 
  • Lava - 
  • Lavender - 
  • Microscale - 
  • Motley - 
  • Redcoat (Red Coat) - 
  • Scaleless - 
  • Strawberry - 
  • Stripe - 
  • Sunkissed - 
  • Terrazzo - 
  • Ultra (and Ultramel) - 

Common/Popular Localities

  • Keys - 
  • Miami - 
  • Okeetee - 
  • Phoenix - Double visual Red Zeppelin and Locality Okeetee Sunkissed. First Recognized by Tani Argonza and his son Angel (Source: "History of the Red Zeppelin and Phoenix Corn Snakes" by Tony Dongarra)
  • Red Zeppelin - Tony Dongarra & Howie Sherman (Source: "History of the Red Zeppelin and Phoenix Corn Snakes" by Tony Dongarra)

Polygenic, selectively bred, and others

  • Aztec/Zigzag/Zagtec - 
  • Bold/Bold Border (BB) - (See Okeetee) Simply our suggested renaming of Okeetee Phase animals and those selectively bred for thicker and more prominent saddle border patterns regardless of other genetics, and *not* including locality animals.
  • Okeetee/Extreme Okeetee (phase) - *DGB Exotics recommends referring to these animals as Bold or Bold Border (BB for short) to avoid confustion with Locality Okeetee corn snakes.* 
  • Paradox - 
  • Reverse Okeetee (RO)/Extreme Reverse Okeetee (ERO) - 


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