Morphs – Page 3 – SMR Archive

Reverse Okeetee-2016

Reverse Okeetee (aka: Amel Okeetee, Albino Okeetee)
Most Commonly Used Name: Reverse Okeetee
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Recessive + Selective Variation

Morph Type: Selective variant of single recessive mutation

Eye Color: Red pupils

Reverse Okeetees are variants of the basic Amel Mutation, so their only visual distinction from corns is their polygenetic color and pattern scheme. 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 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. 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.

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.

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.

Anery Tessera 2016

Anery Tessera (no aka)

Most Commonly Used Name: Anery Tessera
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Dominant
Morph Type: Single Dominant Mutation (Tessera) & simple recessive (Anery)

Eye Color: Black pupil & body ground colored iris

FIRST, what makes Tesseras so expensive? Other than appearance, the primary (and inherent) value of Tessera-type Corns is their mode of 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.

Adding the recessively inherited gene mutation, Anerythristic (Anery for short) to the dominantly inherited gene mutation, Tessera results in this amazing corn.

History of the Tessera Mutation:

In 2007, Graham Criglow asked KJ Lodrigue to order a 1.2 trio of Striped Motleys that were advertised on one of the popular Online Classified sites – since Graham’s job prevented him from personally receiving them at that time. When they arrived, KJ discovered that they constituted a 2.1 reverse trio (two males and one female) instead of the advertised 1.2 trio (one male and two females). KJ and Kasi recommended that Graham gift the extra male to me, and that’s what Graham did. Profound thanks to Graham, KJ, and Kasi for that gracious and fortuitous gift. In 2008, both the Lodrigues and I independently bred our males (Graham’s and mine) to novel (unrelated) corns. I produced about 24 TESSERAS (so named by the Lodrigues for the tessellated lateral markings) from over 50 fertile eggs, but since the Lodrigues were in the middle of a career move to another State, they were less fortunate, producing just four non-mutant Okeetee-looking corns. My Tesseras were produced by the pairing of the male Tessera to three novel female corns (two F¹ Locality Okeetees from Chip Bridges Rhett Butler Line and one Okeetee-ish female, Het for Stripe and Amel). Imagine my surprise in seeing what we thought were nearly flawless Striped Motleys from three different females, only one of which was Het for a recessive pattern mutation? After the first brood of 50% Tesseras hatched from the female that was het for Stripe and Amel, except for the perfection of pattern, I was not thinking new dominant mutation, but when both wild-type Okeetees produced the same results, it was obvious that a new mutation was discovered.

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.

What to expect:

At this early period in the Tessera’s resume, we still don’t know what phenotypic potentials exist. So far, the only trait(s) that are atypical for a corn snake mutation is that many of the non-mutant siblings of Tessera types seem to have enhanced pattern and color features. So far, I don’t see any hybrid markers, since the collateral sibling features to which I refer are – so far – in the realm of improving existing corn snake features (i.e. some non-Tesseras have better, brighter, cleaner, and/or more consistent colors and markings).

Important Note:
These images are not renderings of the actual animals being offered, (except for uniquely offered snakes found in the 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.

Caramel Tessera 2016

Caramel Tessera (no aka)

Most Commonly Used Name: Caramel Tessera
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Dominant
Morph Type: Single Dominant Mutation (Tessera) & simple recessive (Caramel)

Eye Color: Black pupil & body ground colored iris

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.

Adding the Caramel mutation to TESSERA, obviously results in an Caramel Tessera. Because all Caramel Tesseras are so close to original morph colors, expect to see more gold and brown tones.

History of the Tessera Mutation:

What to expect:

At this early period in the Tessera’s resume, we still don’t know what phenotypic potentials exist. So far, the only behavior that is atypical for a corn snake mutation is that many of the non-mutant siblings of Tessera types seem to have enhanced pattern and color features. So far, I don’t see any hybrid markers, since the collateral sibling features to which I refer are – so far – in the realm of improving existing corn snake features (i.e. some non-Tesseras have better, brighter, cleaner, and/or more consistent colors and markings).

What to expect:

Diffused 2016

Diffused (aka: bloodred – see details below)

Note: Expect DIFFUSED and BLOODRED to be used synonymously
Most Commonly mis-used Name: Bloodred See details below
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Recessive
Morph Type: Single Recessive Mutation

Eye Color: Black pupil & body ground colored iris

If you expected to see beautifully diffused corns with saturated red/rust/mahogany colors, click here ^_____> Bloodred Corn Snaketo see the enhanced version of this color mutation.

A few years ago, due to confusion regarding the heritability of the Bloodred’s base mutation (namely that the namesake snakes were not red and/or diffused), the base mutation name was changed away from Bloodred – to Diffused. The mechanics of this gene mutation barely diffuse the F¹ homozygotesthrough maturity (if at all), so do not expect Diffused corns to look like Bloodreds. It is currently believed that Bloodred corns are the product of enhancing the base mutation via polygenetic trait modification (selective breeding) to render a red and almost pattern-less (highly diffused) corn snake. That is not the opinion of this author, but in the absence of empirical evidence to the contrary, the best hobby and market interests are not served by published opposition to popular opinion. In other words, I’m not in favor of changing the morph name away from the original Bloodred since the new name Diffused is equally incorrect. Without polygenetic modification, Diffused corns are not diffused.

Brief history on Diffused mutants VS Bloodred mutants:

Initially, the corn snake gene mutation, Diffusion (formerly called Bloodred) was described as being recessively inherited, but many of the F¹ generational heterozygotes exhibited some of the obvious features of the gene mutation homozygotes. It is extremely rare for simple recessive F¹ heterozygotes to exhibit ANY features of their recessively inherited genetic mutation. For example, F¹ heterozygous Amel corn snakes have no markers that demonstrate a hint of their simple recessive mutation, Amel . The paradoxical partial-exhibition of the Diffusion mutation in the heterozygotes resulted in the Diffused mutation being re-described as codominant – (codom for short) in heritable function, but was tagged with the descriptor, variable. At that time, variable codom seemed an accurate and satisfactory genetic description for the radical color and pattern diversity among members of this mutation, but far too many genetic anomalies persisted. Identification of the inheritance of this mutation is once again considered simple recessive, but the Bloodred corn that most of us identify with toDAY is virtually always the aggregate of traits resulting from the Diffused gene mutation PLUS polygenetic traits promoted by selectively breeding toward the highest expressions of pattern reduction, diffusion, and red color saturation.

What to expect:
As neonates, Diffused corns are often heavily patterned, most of them exhibiting black (or partially black) scales bordering some of the pattern blotches, and most of them have some degree of black belly checkering (something I have NEVER seen on good Bloodreds). Head patterns are highly variable, but exactly like wild-type corns.

Some Diffused corns may exhibit slight diffusion throughout maturation, but unlike their prestigious BLOODRED cousins, every Diffused adult I’ve seen displayed prominent markings (head, body, and belly). Many of the early Diffused corns over ten years ago were overly inbred and therefore suffered poor fertility (not to mention – the progeny of many of the first generations were stubbornly lizard lovers – refusing to eat pinky mice). Thankfully, through out-crossing in our projects to improve or change colors and patterns, Diffused and Bloodred corns no longer rank high in either of those categories; low ferility or reluctance to eat rodents. In fact, there are some seasons in which Diffused and Bloodred corns are among the best feeding of our corn snake neonates.

General Note:
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 identical to each other, the nature of polygenic variation results in no two specimens being exactly the same. 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 replace your SMR snake if it does not mature to be like our advertised examples.

Charcoal 2016

Charcoal (aka: anery B, Pine Island Anery)

Most Commonly Used Name: Charcoal
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Recessive
Morph Type: Single Recessive Mutation

Eye Color: Black pupil & body ground colored iris

The second anerythristic-type mutation discovered in corn snakes (Anery A was the first), Charcoal corns were originally named Pine Island Aneries for the origin of the first one to be discovered on Pine Island – off the Florida Coast. Originally mis-perceived to be a variant of the Anery A mutation, the first one was bred to a Snow corn in a presumed effort to discern if the mutation was related to Anery A? Subsequent generational results demonstrated that this was not an allele of the first anerythristic-type corn; Anery A. There, if you breed a single-mutant Anery to a single-mutant Charcoal, you will get all wild-type progeny (presuming there were no other gene mutation copies common to both parents.

Many of the original Charcoal corns lacked facial and lateral yellow. Yellow was not common in the first generations of this morph, since early specimens apparently lacked the dietary carotenoid yellow trait/mutation common in most Anery corns. Even toDAY, some Charcoal and Blizzard (Amel Charcoal) corns are devoid of yellow as adults, but in so much as that original specimen was quickly bred to a Snow corn upon discovery, the carotenoid retention gene(s) is annoyingly persistent in most family lines of Charcoals and Blizzards. Breeding trials to identify the mechanics and inheritance of the carotenoid retention gene(s) are on-going.

What to expect:

Possibly one of the most unchanging of all corns in the realm of appearance from hatchling to adult, neonates have an overall gray or bluish appearance. Neonates often have a blush of pink or lavender around the sides of the face and neck, and some of those carry that color to adulthood. Whether the one you get will mature to have yellow (or won’t), never expect to see yellow on neonates. One obvious distinction between Anery and Charcoal corns (neonate or adult) is in the realm of eye color. In Anery corns, there is an obvious contrast between the iris and pupil of the eyes (usually black pupil surrounded by gray or silver iris). Most Charcoal corns show little or no such contrast, having the same jet black pupils of Anery corns, but a much darker and sometimes equally black iris. Throughout maturity, the eyes of both Anerys and Charcoals may change slightly, but and adults the distinction between hatchlings remains the same. Most of my corn snakes that are genetically both Anery and Charcoal are phenotypically Charcoal. I’ve spoken to other breeders that say some of their double mutants more closely resembled Anery types.

Important Note:
These images are not renderings of the actual animals being offered, (except for uniquely offered snakes found in the 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.

JL2016d

Three Scaleless 2016 corn snakes.

$100.00

Charcoal Terrazzo 2016

Charcoal Terrazzo (no AKA))
Most Commonly Used Name: Charcoal Terrazzo
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Recessive
Morph Type: Recessive Mutation Compound

Eye Color: Black pupil & gray iris

Combining the two recessive-to-wild-type mutations–first done here at South Mountain Reptiles–Terrazzo and Charcoal renders this stunningly pale ghost-colored mutation compound. The simple recessive mutation, Terrazzo was discovered by Craig Boyd from breeding two Rosy Rat Snakes together (an insular race of corns sometimes called Keys Corns) in the early 1990s. Terrazzos were originally marketed as Granite Corns, but in so much as the Terrazzo producers of that time did not frequent Internet chat forums, many of the mainstream corn snake keepers were unaware of this mutation. Despite warnings (along with pictures), members of one of the popular Online Corn Snake chat forums voted to re-assign the name Granite to Diffused Anery corns (former aka: Anery Bloodreds). It was awkward (and confusing) just a few months after this name re-assignment when Bill and Kathy Loves’ Book (Corn Snakes – The Comprehensive Owner’s Guide) was released, featuring a picture identifying a GRANITE CORN, but of course, that tan corn snake looked nothing like the NEW Granites (formerly Anery Bloodreds) that are black and gray. Jeff Galewood re-named the original Granite corns Terrazzos as he was–at that time–the primary producer of this beautiful mutation.

The simple recessive mutation, Charcoal was discovered in the 1980s and was originally called Pine Island Anery (for it’s geographic origin). Charcoals are one of the “Anery-type” mutants, but easily distinguished from variants of Anery-A. The eyes of Charcoals usually don’t show a contrast between pupil and retina, essentially appearing not to have a pupil while Anery-A types have a black pupil contrasted by a silver iris.

Combining these two mutations rendered a stunning gray and often striped mutation compound. We started this line by breeding a Pewter to a Rosy Rat (Key corn) that turned out to be het for Terrazzo (formerly Granite). Since we have not yet been able to distinguish between Pewter Terrazzos and Charcoal Terrazzos, we’re defaulting to calling all of them Charcoal Terrazzos.

I call Terrazzos second “striped-type allele” because it IS the second one if you don’t count the striped version of Motley (since it is on the same locus with Motley). Several breeders (myself included) have performed breeding trials to verify that Terrazzos are not allelic to other gene mutations. So far, evidence points to Terrazzos being a unique single recessive mutation. I bred a classic Striped Corn mutant to a Key Corn Het for Terrazzo and yielded no mutant corns out of 21 fertile embryos. We all agree that more trials are necessary to validate unique allele status for this beautiful corn. Therefore, breeding a Terrazzo to a Striped Corn should render no striped phenotypes.

Important Note:
These images are not renderings of the actual animals being offered, (except for uniquely offered snakes found in the 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.

Coral Snow Motley 2017

Coral Snow Motley (no aka)
Most Commonly Used Name: Coral Snow Motley
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Recessive & Dominant
Morph Type: Mutation Compound (Anery & Amel) + Motley +Dominant Coral Mutation (Strawberry?)

Eye Color: Red pupil

Before describing Champagne Corns, first, a brief history on the Coral Snow.

Back in the 1980s when cornsnake herpetoculture was in its infancy, Snow corns that had a pink or coral cast were called Coral Snows. Early in Corn Snake Herpetoculture, Snow corns were not as variable in color as they are today. At the time when pink/coral ones were dubbed Coral Snows, it was only common to see snows in two tones of white; crisp white (aka: bone white Snows), or Coral. Back then, prediction of the coral coloration was hit-and-miss (some would start out with a blush of pink, but turn white on white) so in the absence of genetic data to explain the origin of the pink and/or coral colors, the name Coral became somewhat obscure from the hobby for many years. After that era, Jim Stelpflug at Southwest Wisconsin Reptiles was one of the first to predictably reproduce coral colored snows, and even though pinkish snows were still seen in the hobby, Jim was reliably reproducing them – and was even able to intensify the coral coloration in most. At that time, we mistakenly believed the genemutation responsible for pink or coral colored snows was the result of Snow corns that also possessed the Hypo A mutation. While some pink or coral colored Snows that were also Hypo mutants DID show a blush of pink, their pink cast rarely intensified to be remarkable in appearance, as is the case with Coral Snow Mutants of today. Pink and Green Snows were not rare back then, and some of those demonstrated deeply saturated pink coloration. Again, the origin of that phenotype was (and to an extent, still is) poorly understood. In so much as most of the early Coral Snows originated from Jim Stelpflug at SWR (Southwest Wisconsin Reptiles), it appeared obvious that some mutation he had in his genetic inventory was causing his to be more colorful than others. The exaggerated pink/coral coloration is now believed by some to be the demonstration of the dominant-type mutation (Strawberry) that was also discovered/developed by Jim Stelpflug. This is believed to be THE color mutation responsible for the rich colors, if not ONE OF such mutations. I have not personally had reproductive results to validate this theory, and in a hobby that has so very many hidden mutations, perhaps Strawberry is just one of such mutations to cause such colors? Breeding trials are still ongoing in discovering more about this interesting (if not mysterious) mutation. It is not mysterious in terms of inheritance, but in that some non-Strawberry corns can exhibit similar colors – without being Coral/Strawberry mutants. It is not a given that every corn snake displaying inordinate amounts of pink or coral is a Strawberry mutant, but so far, breeding trials between the three most notable Coral Snow types (Salmon, Champagne, and Neon) have demonstrated that they are all at least elementally allelic (breeding any combintion of the three morphs renders Snow corns that have extreme saturation of pink, coral, or both). Hence, there may be other gene mutations or gene modifiers involved in one or all of those morphs, but they at least share the same mutational foundation that causes them to look remarkably pink/coral – unlike classic white-on-white Snows.

The general conclusion in the cornsnake industry at this time is that any Snow corn that is also a Strawberry Mutant (thereby exhibiting a color predominance of pink and/or coral) is a Coral Snow. Any additional refrence to familial origins (i.e. Salmon, Champagne, or Neon) is merely a lineage descriptor that may prove valuable if and when it is determined that one or more of those bloodlines actually possesses additional mutations, or strongly influencing polygenic traits.

What to expect:

Like virtually all Snow corns that exhibit neither of their root mutations (Amel and Anery), Coral Snow Motley hatchlings display only shades of white, pink, and or coral, and of course, have red eyes – since they possess NO melanin. Expect carotenoid yellow to manifest throughout maturity, and of course they will have varying shades of pink and/or coral colors that will intensify with as they age. In most Coral Snow Motleys, males have deeper coloration than females, but in some cases the selectively-bred influences of Salmon, Champagne, Neon, cause some females to have equal or greater color saturation than males. Coral Snow Motleys never display any other colors (including carotenoid yellow) as hatchlings, but as they mature, in addition to exhibition of carotenoid yellow, some will develop pale green or bright yellow blotch margins. Contrast between markings and ground color zones vary widely from one individual to another, but colors in adults are never disappointing.

Cotton Candy Snow 2016

Cotton Candy Snow (no aka)
Most Commonly Used Name: Cotton Candy Snow
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Recessive & Dominant
Morph Type: Mutation Compound (Anery & Amel) + dominant Coral Mutation (?Strawberry?)

Eye Color: Red pupil

Before describing Cotton Candy Snow Corns, first, a brief history on the Coral Snow Complex.

Back in the 1980s when corn snake herpetoculture was in its infancy, Snow corns that had a pink or coral cast were called Coral Snows. Early in Corn Snake Herpetoculture, Snow corns were not as variable in color as they are toDAY. At the time when pink/coral ones were dubbed Coral Snows, it was only common to see snows in two tones of white; crisp white (aka: bone white Snows), or Coral. Back then, prediction of the coral coloration was hit-and-miss (some would start out with a blush of pink, but turn white on white) so in the absence of genetic data to explain the origin of the pink and/or coral colors, the name Coral became somewhat obscure from the hobby for many years. After that era, Jim Stelpflug at Southwest Wisconsin Reptiles was one of the first to predictably reproduce coral colored snows, and even though pinkish snows were still seen in the hobby, Jim was reliably reproducing them – and was even able to intensify the coral coloration in most. At that time, we mistakenly believed the genemutation responsible for pink or coral colored snows was the result of Snow corns that also possessed the Hypo A mutation. While some pink or coral colored Snows that were also Hypo mutants DID show a blush of pink, their pink cast rarely intensified to be remarkable in appearance, as is the case with Coral Snow Mutants of toDAY. Pink and Green Snows were not rare back then, and some of those demonstrated deeply saturated pink coloration. Again, the origin of that phenotype was (and to an extent, still is) poorly understood. In so much as most of the early Coral Snows originated from Jim Stelpflug at SWR (Southwest Wisconsin Reptiles), it appeared obvious that some mutation he had in his genetic inventory was causing his to be more colorful than others. The exaggerated pink/coral coloration is now believed by some to be the demonstration of the dominant-type mutation (Strawberry) that was also discovered/developed by Jim Stelpflug. This is believed to be THE color mutation responsible for the rich colors, if not ONE OF such mutations. I have not personally had reproductive results to validate this theory, and in a hobby that has so very many hidden mutations, perhaps Strawberry is just one of such mutations to cause such colors? Breeding trials are still ongoing in discovering more about this interesting (if not mysterious) mutation. It is not mysterious in terms of inheritance, but in that some non-Strawberry corns can exhibit similar colors – without being Coral/Strawberry mutants. It is not a given that every corn snake displaying inordinate amounts of pink or coral is a Strawberry mutant, but so far, breeding trials between the three most notable Coral Snow types (Salmon, Champagne, and Neon) have demonstrated that they are all at least elementally allelic (breeding any combintion of the three morphs renders Snow corns that have extreme saturation of pink, coral, or both). Hence, there may be other gene mutations or gene modifiers involved in one or all of those morphs, but they at least share the same mutational foundation that causes them to look remarkably pink/coral – unlike classic white-on-white Snows.

The general conclusion in the corn snake industry at this time is that any Snow corn that is also a Strawberry Mutant (thereby exhibiting a color predominance of pink and/or coral) is a Coral Snow. Any additional refrence to familial origins (i.e. Salmon, Champagne, or Neon) is merely a lineage descriptor that may prove valuable if and when it is determined that one or more of those bloodlines actually possesses additional mutations, or strongly influencing polygenic traits.

COTTON CANDY SNOW CORNS

The snake on the left (pictured on dirt) is the same snake that’s in the second picture (larger of those two). These two pics feature the same famous Cotton Candy corn that Graham Criglow produced a couple of years ago, at two different ages. The small one in the second picture is a 2014 Salmon Snow we produced, understandably similar since the Cotton Candy originated from SMR Coral stock.

Update: Pic’d above, demonstrating his transformation from shocking pink to deep coral (almost orange) at maturity, shown here with a yearling Salmon Snow Motley (aka: Coral Snow Motley).

Shown here are hatchling Salmon Snow corns (aka: Coral Snows) pic’d with the adult Cotton Candy Snow from Gr

ButterTessera 2016

Butter Tessera (no aka)

Most Commonly Used Name: Butter Tessera
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Dominant & Recessive mutations
Morph Type: Single Dominant Mutation (Tessera) & simple recessive (Amel) & Caramel

Eye Color: RED pupil & body ground colored iris

TESSERA PATTERN MUTATION

Other than appearance, the primary (and inherent) value of Tessera-type Corns is their mode of 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.

BUTTER COLOR MUTATION COMPOUND

The genetic product of combining the Amel and Caramel recessive mutations render the ultimate expression of yellow in corns. Both color and pattern are variable in hue and shades, but all adults demonstrate what is left when the Amel mutation removes melanin from the Caramel mutation; YELLOW.

Adding the color mutations (Amel & Caramel = Butter) to TESSERA, obviously results in a Butter Tessera. As Tessera usually does, Butter coloration is extremely exaggerated. The inherent breeding value of this mutation compound is that if you breed this snake to a regular Tessera, 50% of the progeny will be Tesseras, but all of them are het for Caramel and Amel (therefore, Butter). Pairing those progeny at adulthood with complementary genes renders Tesseras, Amel Tesseras, Caramel Tesseras, and Butter Tesseras.

History of the Tessera Mutation:

Important Note:
These images are not renderings of the actual animals being offered, (except for uniquely offered snakes found in the 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.