Second litter of the 2013 season is a dandy!!!

[Jeff B]

Born 4/22/2013, the dame of this litter was produced last year from breeding the wild caught Dodge Co. albino T.radix to my female axanthic T.radix. The axanthic gene has not been completely well characterized or documented, but it has long been suspected that the axanthic gene and the anerythristic gene are co-allelic to each other. That is the two mutations are different alleles or slightly different mutations yet exist at the same loci or location on a gene. Thus, an axanthic phenotype is actually genotypically one copy axanthic gene and one copy anerythristic gene. Two copies of the anerythristic gene which is recessive yields the anerthristic phenotype, a very dark almost solid black snake. However, two copies of the axanthic gene does not yield a phenotypic axanthic snake. Only when a snake inherits one copy of the axanthic gene and one copy of the anerythristic gene does the axanthic phenotype manifest itself. The dame was a normal looking phenotype, she had a 50% chance to be carrying a copy of axanthic and a 50% chance of carrying the anerythristic gene, and due to her father was also het Dodge Co. albino. The dame proved out to actually be het for anerythristic and het Dodge Co. albino based on the premise that the axanthic gene and the anerythristic gene are co-allelic and the types and ratios of this litter there is only one possibility based on the punnet squares. Base on the ratio and types of offspring she could not be het for axanthic gene. The sire of this litter was an axanthic T.radix purchased this winter from Scott Felzer.The sire proved out to also be het Iowa albino, which was a bonus surprise that neither Scott nor I were unaware of.
Originally it was suspected that the wild caught albino male from Dodge Co. Nebraska was a Nebraska type strain with a dark orange dorsal stripe, however this litter actually proved that the albino is actually compatible with the Iowa strain albino. The results were 16 big healthy babies, 4 normal, 4 axanthics, 2 anerythristics, 1 high orange dorsal striped albino, 3 snows, and 2 blizzards. The two blizzards have faint orange dorsal stripes that go about half way down the back. Can't wait to see what the blizzards and axanthics look like when they get a little size.
This was an exciting litter in several ways, there were no stillborns or slugs, there is a nice variety of different morphs and morph combinations, the Dodge Co. albino proved out to be compatible to the Iowa strain albino, and the further confirmed and characterized the axanthic gene. I hope to get better picture when they get a little bigger.

[guidofatherof5]

Sweet radix scrubs.

[thamneil]

Congrats! Hope there are many more to come

[Jeff B]

Thanks guys, hope there will be many more too, but I always count my blessings either way.

[Eddie]

That is just a flat out awesome litter!!
Appreciate the biology info!

[Jeff B]

Thanks Eddie, if you want a fun exercise in punnett squares, try that one out. Sets up as a 4x4 gamate possibilities (4 from each parent), yielding 16 output squares, which yields 12 different genotypes and 6 different phenotypes

[chris-uk]

A fine looking litter - whilst morphs aren't my thing the genetics does interest me. You've given a good example of how analysing a litter can reveal a lot about the parents' genes.

[BLUESIRTALIS]

Awesome litter man! Congrats Jeff!

[Jeff B]

I have another het axanthic female giving birth right now 9 out and she isn't even close to being done. will post pics later this evening. Man I love this time of year but I already see the work mounting up. Looks like she is likely het for the axanthic gene only because of the babies so far about half are axanthic and half are normal looking. Will post pics this evening.

[Jeff B]

I appreciate that you appreciate the genetics Chris.

A fine looking litter - whilst morphs aren't my thing the genetics does interest me. You've given a good example of how analysing a litter can reveal a lot about the parents' genes.