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pdk9Roper's Cottonmouth Photos
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by Chris_Harper on April 21, 2008
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I approved pdk9Roper's cottonmouth photos. The snake has a light coloration, but not near enough to call it hypomelanistic. It is a nicely colored animal though, and I don't think I've ever seen one quite this light.
http://www.venomousreptiles.org/libraries/Snakes%20for%20Identification/7
CH
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RE: pdk9Roper's Cottonmouth Photos
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by Chance on April 22, 2008
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I don't think it would be too much of a stretch to call it hypomelanistic, which afterall just means a reduction in melanin. That animal doesn't display any pure black, which if it did would be a dead ringer that it isn't hypo. It's eyes are also a bit light. AJ and Dan at CrotalusCo had a probable hypo born last year. I wonder if it'll look like this as an adult?
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RE: pdk9Roper's Cottonmouth Photos
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by Cro on April 22, 2008
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The Cottonmouth does show very reduced black coloration.
The only way to know for sure about its genetic potential is to put it into a breeding program and see what the results are.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: pdk9Roper's Cottonmouth Photos
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by Chris_Harper on April 22, 2008
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Here are a couple of hypomelanistic cottonmouths.
http://www.venomousreptiles.org/libraries/download/4357/hypopisciv.jpg
http://www.venomousreptiles.org/libraries/download/4125/Mouth%20Open%20-%20Background.jpg
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RE: pdk9Roper's Cottonmouth Photos
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by Cro on April 22, 2008
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I would agree with Chance on this one.
By definition, the word "hypo" just means "reduced." So "any" reduction of the Black Pigment could be considered "hypo" melanistic. This could vary a great deal in the normal colorations found in Cottonmouths.
By this definition, the photos of the light colored Cottonmouth that pdk9Roper posted are definitely of a "hypo-melanistic" Cottonmouth. We must not confuse this though with a Genetically Linked coloration. That has to be proven by breeding the animal to see if it breeds true. This could be just a nice light colored Cottonmouth, or this could be a snake that had an parent or grandparent that had a color mutation. However the term "Hypomelinistic" should not be used to imply a unproven Genetic inheritable trait.
If all of the Black Pigment were missing then we would have what is called "amelinistic."
As far as the photo listed at:
http://www.venomousreptiles.org/libraries/download/4357/hypopisciv.jpg
I would not consider it hypomelanistic at all and feel that it is mislabled. From the grey coloration, it is more likely what would be called an "axantic" or an "anerythristic."
As far as the photo listed at:
http://www.venomousreptiles.org/libraries/download/4125/Mouth%20Open%20-%20Background.jpg
This snake could be called "hypomelanistic," however, because there really is "NO" Black Pigment, only Dark Browns, this snake probably would be better thought to have "amelanism." The other 3 pigments are still there, and they contribute to the orange, yellow, red,and brown colorations that this snake shows.
A good example is one of the snakes in my breeding program that is even lighter colored, but related to the snake in the photo. She does not have any black pigment at all, only darker browns. For that reason, I do not call her "hypomelanistic," but rather "amelinistic."
The photo of this snake is at:
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j116/Mugwamp_2006/003.jpg
In this case, the coloration is proven by a breeding program, and breeds true. So, we know that the coloration is due to an inheratable genetic mutation, and not just a normal variance in coloration.
I hope that some of the folks who breed morphs will jump in here and let us know what you think on this.
Breeding venomous morphs is much less advanced than the work that has been done with Corn Snakes and Ball Pythons. Those folks can offer insights to us on this topic.
Best Regards JohnZ
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RE: pdk9Roper's Cottonmouth Photos
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by Chance on April 22, 2008
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The second picture Chris linked and the one Cro linked appear, to me, to be T+ albinos. Those are the albinos that do produce the enzyme tyrosinase, which generally allows for the production of melanin. However, in these animals, it's faulty. This is what is seen in most of the albino blood pythons, caramel ball and reticulated pythons, and sunset monocled cobras (the best albinos, IMHO!).
Either way, all the animals pictured are amazing and it would be awesome to come across one in the wild. Kind of like those leucistic cottonmouths floating around in the hobby. Interesting that cottons would have all the gorgeous mutations available while their generally more amiable cousins (copperheads) have few to none that are proven.
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RE: pdk9Roper's Cottonmouth Photos
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by Cro on April 22, 2008
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Chance, I have heard the the term T+ albinos used on these snakes also. When I am talking with friends about them, I often call them "white cottonmouths" to seperate them from the het ones that have normal coloration.
There is resent research that seems to do away with part of the T+ and T- description. From the way I read it, the T+ is still valid, however, T- might be obsolete.
Resently, I ran across this:
"Albinism was formerly categorized as tyrosinase-positive or -negative. In cases of tyrosinase-positive albinism, the enzyme tyrosinase is present. The melanocytes (pigment cells) are unable to produce melanin for any one of a variety of reasons that do not directly involve the tyrosinase enzyme. In tyrosinase-negative cases, either the tyrosinase enzyme is not produced or a nonfunctional version is produced. This classification has been rendered obsolete by recent research.[3]"
This is referenced in a publication dealing mostly with human albinism, however, might still be valid in reptiles. It is in:
http://albinism.med.umn.edu/facts.htm
I am still waiding through the article, and trying to learn more.
The fact is though, whatever we call these critters, they are an amazing example of the wonders of nature.
Best Regards JohnZ
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