Category: Morphs

The first description of this corn snake pattern mutation was published by the late Dr. H. Bernard Bechtel in the 1980s.  His breeding trials demonstrated the heritability of this mutation to be simple recessive.  The distinguishing feature of those is belly checkering.  Good Motleys have an orderly and contiguous pattern of spots down the dorsum that represent spaces in what appears to be a continuous, wide stripe of color running from the neck tail-ward.  The size, shape, location, organization, and number of circular pattern interruptions on the back define the grade of individuals, but until recently, the one pattern distinction we could rely upon was that of having no checkers on their belly.  Lately, we’re seeing Motleys with some black checkering, but it’s random and sparse.  I suspect that one day we’ll see Motleys with quite a bit of belly checkering.  In fact, certain genetic compounds of Motley have somewhat reliable belly markings (i.e. Sunglow Motley and Lavender Motley).

Anerythristic (aka: Anery, Anery A)

This corn snake (originally one word, we usually space between corn and snake) color morph is named from the Latin Anerythristic – loosely meaning no red or yellow pigment. Anerythrism best describes this morph because the most obvious missing color resulting from this genetic mutation is red. Another Latin term applicable to other snake species with this general mutation is axanthic, meaning no yellow pigment. Since red is the most recognized general color common to virtually all wild-type corns, its absence is more readily apparent. Having cited this lack of pigment, adult Anery corns nearly always have noticeable yellow – relegated mostly to the face, neck, and lower sides. The result of the retention of carotenoids attained from their diet, neonate Aneries do not exhibit this yellow – since it gradually accumulates throughout maturity. Adult Aneries that are devoid of yellow color zones are extremely rare in the hobby at this time.

Occasionally, we see Anery corns referred to as black albinos. We intentionally omitted this as an aka (also known as) because it is time for that name to disappear from the hobby, when referring to melanin-rich corn snakes. Modern perceptions of “albino” do not apply to such darkly-colored mutants. Ancient definitions of albino “may” have originally also applied to solid black (melanistic) animals (a common mammalian mutation), but that is now considered a colloquially incorrect term when applied to any wholly color aberrant mutant with obvious black.  I think it is nonsense to call a black snake ALBINO, since the word albino derives from the Greek albus – meaning white (which is the visual consequence of most non-reptile animals that lack color pigment).  Unlike mammals and some other animals whose colors are rendered as variations of their only pigment cell (melanin), albino snakes are often colorful (instead of white) in the absence of melanin – since snakes have color pigments produced by chromatophores AND melanin-producing melanophores.  Black Albino is an oxymoron in the realm of most snakes, and I believe its use in corn snake herpetoculture creates undue confusion.

What to expect:
Hatchling Anery corns are essentially black and white, since carotenoid yellow is slowly acquired from their diet – thereby manifesting slowly – as they mature. Most Anery corns begin to display that yellow around the face and neck between six and 12 months of age, and it spreads tail-ward the rest of their lives – relegated mostly to the sides of the body.

There is a reasonably dependable degree of color distinction between adult male and female Anery corns to tempt us to say that Anery mutants exhibit sexual dichromatism (aka: color dimorphism), but in so much as there are exceptions to this color distinction, the term does not accurately apply. An extreme majority (if not ALL) adult male Anery corns I’ve seen in my life had notably different coloration than their adult female counterparts. Males generally have earth tones (some shade of brown) in their ground color zones, their markings, or both – but a female exhibiting this color feature (without the aid of a separate mutation) is utterly rare. Most adult females are shades of black and gray (not counting carotenoid yellow attained from diet). Bear in mind that I refer to single gene mutant Anerys – since compound morphs can display colors that are attributed to polygenic or mutational traits derived from other genetic contributors. In most cases, male and female adult Anery corns can be visually distinguished at a glance, without the need to probe or compare tail conformation. This photograph is a typical example of this visual color distinction referenced above. This also applies to Ghost corns and some other Anery compound mutants, since they are homozygotes of the Anery gene mutation.  The color distinction demonstrated here does not apply to neonate Anery mutants.

There are only three males in this group of sub-adult Anery corns produced by Nancy Wimer.

Thank you, Nancy.

The accepted hobby name, Kisatchie, was unofficially assigned to the newest Ratsnake species to be described in the United States, Panterophis slowinskii, reportedly because the “holotype” was collected near Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana.  This doesn’t mean that it was the first of its kind to be captured, because I was catching lots of these in 1971 in East Texas and Western Louisiana, incorrectly thinking that they were a notably brown version of Great Plains Ratsnakes (Pantherophis emoryi).  The common name assigned when this species was described is Slowinski’s Corn Snake, but I personally don’t use that name because is contains the word CORN, and this is officially N O T a corn snake. In 2002, Frank T. Burbrink presented sufficient evidence to establish that this snake, Elaphe slowinskii (now, Pantherophis slowinskii), found between the natural ranges of Corn Snakes, Pantherophis guttatus and Great Plains Rat Snakes (aka: Emory’s Rat Snakes) was sufficiently dissimilar to those species, enough to warrant distinct species status.  Surely this species originated from the ancient natural intergradation of Corn Snakes and Emory’s Rat Snakes?  In order to preserve their genome in captive specimens–s Posted on January 17, 2021January 17, 2021Categories Morphs

Specter (no aka)Most Commonly Used Name: Anery (hobby abbreviation for Anerythristic)

At this time Specters are thought to have a gene mutation that makes them distinctly unlike most Anery and Ghost corns, but no-one has yet identified an extra gene.  Therefore, they are popularly considered a variant of Anery or Ghost.

What to expect:
Hatchling Specter corns look essentially like Classic Ghosts (Hypo Aneries). As they mature, they get a little pink in most of the ground color zones and even sometimes in the blotch zones, but not nearly as much as Heliconias that owe their remarkable pink to a red-modifying gene mutation. 

Anerythristic (aka: Anery, Anery A)

This corn snake (originally one word, we usually space between corn and snake) color morph is named from the Latin Anerythristic – loosely meaning no red or yellow pigment. Anerythrism best describes this morph because the most obvious missing color resulting from this genetic mutation is red. Another Latin term applicable to other snake species with this general mutation is axanthic, meaning no yellow pigment. Since red is the most recognized general color common to virtually all wild-type corns, its absence is more readily apparent. Having cited this lack of pigment, adult Anery corns nearly always have noticeable yellow – relegated mostly to the face, neck, and lower sides. The result of the retention of carotenoids attained from their diet, neonate Aneries do not exhibit this yellow – since it gradually accumulates throughout maturity. Adult Aneries that are devoid of yellow color zones are extremely rare in the hobby at this time.

Occasionally, we see Anery corns referred to as black albinos. We intentionally omitted this as an aka (also known as) because it is time for that name to disappear from the hobby, when referring to melanin-rich corn snakes. Modern perceptions of “albino” do not apply to such darkly-colored mutants. Ancient definitions of albino “may” have originally also applied to solid black (melanistic) animals (a common mammalian mutation), but that is now considered a colloquially incorrect term when applied to any wholly color aberrant mutant with obvious black.  I think it is nonsense to call a black snake ALBINO, since the word albino derives from the Greek albus – meaning white (which is the visual consequence of most non-reptile animals that lack color pigment).  Unlike mammals and some other animals whose colors are rendered as variations of their only pigment cell (melanin), albino snakes are often colorful (instead of white) in the absence of melanin – since snakes have color pigments produced by chromatophores AND melanin-producing melanophores.  Black Albino is an oxymoron in the realm of most snakes, and I believe its use in corn snake herpetoculture creates undue confusion.

What to expect:
Hatchling Anery corns are essentially black and white, since carotenoid yellow is slowly acquired from their diet – thereby manifesting slowly – as they mature. Most Anery corns begin to display that yellow around the face and neck between six and 12 months of age, and it spreads tail-ward the rest of their lives – relegated mostly to the sides of the body.

There is a reasonably dependable degree of color distinction between adult male and female Anery corns to tempt us to say that Anery mutants exhibit sexual dichromatism (aka: color dimorphism), but in so much as there are exceptions to this color distinction, the term does not accurately apply. An extreme majority (if not ALL) adult male Anery corns I’ve seen in my life had notably different coloration than their adult female counterparts. Males generally have earth tones (some shade of brown) in their ground color zones, their markings, or both – but a female exhibiting this color feature (without the aid of a separate mutation) is utterly rare. Most adult females are shades of black and gray (not counting carotenoid yellow attained from diet). Bear in mind that I refer to single gene mutant Anerys – since compound morphs can display colors that are attributed to polygenic or mutational traits derived from other genetic contributors. In most cases, male and female adult Anery corns can be visually distinguished at a glance, without the need to probe or compare tail conformation. This photograph is a typical example of this visual color distinction referenced above. This also applies to Ghost corns and some other Anery compound mutants, since they are homozygotes of the Anery gene mutation.  The color distinction demonstrated here does not apply to neonate Anery mutants.

There are only three males in this group of sub-adult Anery corns produced by Nancy Wimer.

Thank you, Nancy.

Anery Motley (aka: Anerythristic  Motley)
Most Commonly Used Name: Anery Motley (hobby abbreviation for Anerythristic Motley)
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Recessive
Morph Type: Mutation Compound (Anery + Motley)

Eye color: Black pupil with gray or silver iris

This compound morph results from combining the color mutation, Anery with the pattern mutation, Motley. Except for pattern variants (Hurricane Anery Motleys), the only obvious results of the combination of these mutations is usually less carotenoid yellow than their non motley Anery counterparts, and reduced color saturation of black.  As with some single mutant Anery corns, males can demonstrate earth tone coloration, seldom seen in females of this morph.  Males and females generally have color di-morphism (males generally have different colors than females).  Females tend to be more black and gray while males will get some brown in them as they mature.  Both are essentially black and white or black and silver as neonates.  

There are only three males in this group of sub-adult Anery corns produced by Nancy Wimer.  These are not Motleys, but Aneries of any pattern have the same general gender di-morphism.  The three males have some brown markings.  

Thank you, Nancy.

What to expect:

As neonates, Anery Motleys usually appear to be white snakes with black markings.  As they mature, the white usually turns to gray, but markings can be anything between dark shades of gray to black.  Some have only a few of the classic chain-like Motley dorsal circles, while some sport a long and contiguous  “chain” pattern of dorsal circles – nearly all the way to the tail.  Never expect to see such dorsal circles ON the tail itself.  As with all Anery mutants, hatchling Anery Motleys display no yellow around the face and neck, but as they mature, virtually all will develop facial and lateral yellow color zones that slowly manifest with maturity – from the retention of carotenoids in their diet.  BTW, the Motley pattern mutation virtually always alters color and markings – if only slightly. Patterns are often less distinct, and colors are sometimes slighted softened in Motley mutants – compared to non-Motleys..

FIRST, what makes Tesseras so expensive? Other than appearance, the primary (and inherent) value of Tessera-type Corns is their mode of genetic inheritance.  Since they are dominant to wild type, pairing any Tessera Type that is a Visual Het to ANY corn snake (other than a Tessera-type) will render 50% Tessera mutants in the F¹ (first) out-crossed generation.  The results of pairing an Tessera homozygote with ANY corn snake (other than a Tessera-type) will render 100% Tessera mutants.

Upon receiving the reverse trio from the seller, we all commented on the mutual peculiarity of the phenotypes.  Most appeared to be the most perfectly Striped Motleys ever seen – in so much as their dorsal stripes were nearly contiguous from neck to tail tip (something never before seen in any corn snake pattern mutant) – but that was hardly possible if the admission of the breeder were true – that they were products of pairing a Striped corn with an Okeetee corn.  How could these descendants of a Striped corn bred to an Okeetee be Motley types, instead of Striped?  It is still unclear if those 2.1 Tesseras were F¹s (first familial generation) or F²s (the originator of this line is now out of the hobby and difficult to reach – for clarification).  If these three Tesseras are F¹s, my deduction is that the striped corn he used in the original pairing was actually Striped AND Tessera.  Even if those three were F²s, the likelihood of the mutant patriarch being a Striped Tessera is strong.

Combining the three recessive gene mutations; Motley and (Anery & Amel = Snow) combine to render this beautiful Snow compound mutation. Typically, they have many subtle colors found throughout the spectrum of the Snow compound mutation.

What to expect:
Both male and female hatchlings look alike (essentially white snakes with some tainted shade of what Motley markings).  

Combining the three recessive gene mutations; Motley and (Anery & Amel = Snow) combine to render this beautiful Snow compound mutation. Typically, they have many subtle colors found throughout the spectrum of the Snow compound mutation.

What to expect:
Both male and female hatchlings look alike (essentially white snakes with some tainted shade of what Motley markings).  

Extreme Reverse Okeetees are variants of the basic Amel Mutation, but with the polygenic impact of increased band width of the white blotch margins. Therefore, their only visual distinction from Amel corns is their polygenetic color and pattern scheme.  Genetically speaking, like their cousins, Extreme Reverse Okeetees, are Amel corns that have been selectively bred to promote their target look (Highly saturated blotch colors, separated from clean and unspeckled ground coloration by prominent white blotch margins). Red or orange markings are not difficult to reproduce through generational line breeding, but the quality and size of the white blotch margins is often difficult to achieve, and sometimes difficult to maintain through subsequent generations.  Note that the ground color zones of Extreme Reverse Okeetees run toward yellow, relative to their Reverse Okeetee cousins. The degree of color purity in the orange background and red (or orange) markings have been enhanced via polygenetic traits, modified through selective promotion of only the best target phenotypes. Some will exhibit color “clutter” in these zones, but a distinction between Reverse Okeetees and most Amel corns should be a dramatic reduction in color “noise” — rendering richer colors of blotch and ground color zones.  The blotch margins are often very wide, compared to most Okeetee and Amel Okeetee types. 

What to expect:

Reverse Okeetees are one of the few corn snake mutations that change very little between neonate and adult, so expect some deeper color saturation throughout maturity.  The often “neutrally colored” blotch margins turn bright white throughout maturity.  I don’t recall ever seeing one that was completely devoid of color litter in the pattern and ground zones, but we’re getting closer to that  with  each generation. Some of the hatchlings displaying orange markings mature to have redder markings, and some of those starting with red markings change to orange, but approximately 75% of all our red ones stay red, and about the same percentage of the orange marked ones stay orange.

 

Two Extreme Reverse Okeetees (Amel Extreme Buckskin Okeetees) pictured with a Buckskin Okeetee sibling on 06/10/13. 

 

SURPLUS section of this web site).  We do not provide pictures of individual hatchling snakes for sale, nor do we recommend that you ever choose a new pet based on an image of its neonatal form.  Corns change so dramatically from hatchling to adult, they will NEVER have the same colors or contrasts throughout maturity.While most of the snakes we produce will mature to resemble the featured adult image(s) on our web site, unlike manufactured products that are respectively clones of each other, the nature of polygenic variation results in each animal being similar but not identical to others of its morph. The snake we select for you may not mature to be identical to the pictured examples, but will be chosen based on our experience of observing which neonates will mature to properly represent their respective morph.  We take this responsibility very seriously, and therefore publish the guarantee that we will exchange your SMR snake if it does not mature to be like our advertised examples.