High White Reverse Okeetee (aka: High White Corn)
Most Commonly Used Name: High White Reverse Okeetee
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Recessive + Selective Variation
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Recessive + Selective Variation
Morph Type: Selective variant of single recessive mutation
Eye Color: RED pupil
High White Reverse Okeetees are variants of the basic Reverse Okeetee mutants (Amel is the only mutation known to exist in this morph). Genetically speaking, Reverse Okeetees are Amel corns that have been selectively bred to promote their target look (Highly saturated blotch colors, separated from clean and unstippled ground coloration by prominent white blotch margins). High Whites are selectively bred variants of Reverse Okeetees – toward the target phenotype of having the cleanest white ground coloration. Since the only mutation they possess is Amel, the obvious distinction between any Reverse Okeetee and the average Amel corn is the distinctive color scheme. Red or orange markings are not difficult to reproduce through generational line breeding, but the white background color is very difficult to achieve, and sometimes difficult to maintain through subsequent generations. The white background and red (or orange) markings have been enhanced via polygenetic traits, modified through selective promotion of only the best target phenotypes. While we have greatly reduced the orange coloration in the ground color zones, even our best High Whites show a blush of orange between markings, especially on the first 1/3 of the body. High White refers to the predominantly white ground color zones, but some also have atypically broad white blotch margins.
When breeding two High White Reverse Okeetees together, because they are Amel mutants, you are assured of getting 100% amels, but factoring in the variability of the interactions between genes (polygenetics) means that not necessarily all the offspring will be marketable High Whites. We cull out the ones that do not satisfy our quality standards for High White Reverse Okeetee color and pattern, and those are sold as Reverse Okeetee corns.
What to expect:
As neonates, all High Whites are shockingly red or orange on white, but expect neonates and adults to exhibit slight amounts of pale orange ground color between markings, relegated mostly to the front part of the body. I don’t recall ever seeing one that was completely devoid of color litter over the entire ground zones, but we’re getting closer to that with each generation. If our High White Reverse Okeetee corns did not have such thick white borders, they would be perfect candy canes. Some of the hatchlings displaying orange markings mature to have redder markings, and some of those starting with red markings change to orange. About 75% of all our red ones stay red, and about the same percentage of the orange marked ones stay orange.