One of the melanistic sirtalis

[Thamnophis]

One year old female...


http://www.thamnophis.eu/thamnophis/pics/black_female01.jpg

[guidofatherof5]

That is a beautiful snake.

[ProXimuS]

All of your snakes are very beautiful! :)

I'm wondering: What does "melanistic" and "erythristic" mean? I know "erythro" is red and melanin is what makes your skin dark....so I'm guessing they are red versions and dark/black versions of certain species/subspecies?

Sorry for the millions of questions I've posted everywhere. I'm new, still learning, and very curious:D

[Thamnophis]

All of your snakes are very beautiful! :)

I'm wondering: What does "melanistic" and "erythristic?" I know "erythro" is red and melanin is what makes your skin dark....so I'm guessing they are red versions and dark/black versions of certain species/subspecies?

Sorry for the millions of questions I've posted everywhere. I'm new, still learning, and very curious:D

Don't know what that combo will bring. But there is almost certain someone on this forum who knows... Let's wait and see what he/she has to tell us.

[katach]

Beautiful!

[thamneil]

Gorgeous sirtalis. With I could get my hands on him! Why do you always tease me with your snakes? :p first it was the erythristics, now it's a melanistic! You have a very nice collection.

[d_virginiana]

Beautiful! I love the way the eyes on melanistics are almost all-black.


All of your snakes are very beautiful! :)

I'm wondering: What does "melanistic" and "erythristic" mean? I know "erythro" is red and melanin is what makes your skin dark....so I'm guessing they are red versions and dark/black versions of certain species/subspecies?


I'm not an expert, so hopefully someone who knows more about it will explain this better, but I think melanistic is hyper-pigmentation, where every pigmented area of the snake is black and there aren't any patterns (like a jaguar is a melanistic leopard) which is why you need melanistics to get snows. Erythristic is hyper-pigmentation of red(or is it yellow?), but the snake will keep its pattern. And an anerythristic would be a snake with no red/yellow pigment, so it would have a normal pattern, but it would be black and grey looking.
Hopefully that helps..

[Thamnophis]

Don't know what that combo will bring. But there is almost certain someone on this forum who knows... Let's wait and see what he/she has to tell us.

Now I see I misread the question. I thought you meant what you would get when you breed a melanistic with an erythristic garter snake. Who knows this?Melanism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanism) - Erythrism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythrism)

[ProXimuS]

Hey cool, Thanks both of yall! You know I never even thought about looking it up on wikipedia:rolleyes:

[EasternGirl]

Lovely snake!