Last Updated: 30 June 2009

Albino: see Amelanistic.

Amber: Amber Corns have both the Hypomelanistic and Caramel genes. The color may vary from a golden amber to a light greenish brown. Rich Zuchowski originally developed the Amber line.

Amelanistic: Also known as "Red Albino" or simply "Albino". Amelanistic Corns completely lack the dark pigment melanin due to a simple recessive mutation. Amelanistics are generally combinations of orange, red, and/or white, with red eyes. This was the first known mutation in Cornsnakes. The first one was caught in North Carolina in 1953. In 1959, Bernard Bechtel bred the original specimen to three normal females, producing babies that were "het for" Amelanism.

Anerythristic (Type A): Also known as "Black Albino". Anerythristic (Type A) Corns lack all of the red and orange colors, due to a simple recessive mutation. Anerythristic corns are generally grey, with black saddles. Adults usually develop yellow highlights on the sides of the head and neck - this is the main way to distinguish them from "Type B" Anerythristics, although some Type B's do develop yellow. Anerythristics are known to occur naturally in some populations in South Florida. They are also known from Georgia and South Carolina. It is not known where the first captive Anerythristics (Type A) were bred.

Anerythristic (Type B): Also known as Charcoal. A second type of Anerythrism (lack of red and orange) called Type B is also caused by a simple recessive mutation. Type B looks similar to Type A, except that adults usually do not develop the yellow head/neck markings. harcoals originally came from Pine Island, Florida. Bill and Kathy Love were the first to breed them.

Aztec: see ZigZag

Black Albino: see Anerythristic (Type A).

Blizzard: Blizzard Corns have both the Amelanistic and Charcoal genes. Many may also have the Anerythristic (Type A) gene, but it is not essential to produce the Blizzard phenotype. Blizzard Corns are virtually patternless. Art Meyer and John Cole first developed the Blizzard line. Credit for the name "Blizzard" goes to Bill Love.

Bloodred: Bloodred can refer to a Color or a Pattern. The Bloodred Pattern is defined by a lack of belly checkering, some side coloration 'bleeding' onto the belly, and faded side blotches. The Bloodred Pattern is caused by a simple recessive gene and can be independent of bloodred Color. Bloodred Color is defined by a dark red ground color, with slightly darker red saddles. Adults may approach a solid red color. Bloodred Color is not due to a simple recessive gene. There are probably many genes involved, as Bloodred Color is the result of line breeding. This program handles the Bloodred Pattern. There's no way to accurately model Bloodred Color, but if you want to treat it as a simple recessive mutation, feel free to ignore the word 'pattern' wherever it appears. The original Bloodred line (which had both the Pattern and the Color) was developed by Eddie Leach by inbreeding corn snakes from Hastings, Florida. The line was later passed on to Bill and Kathy Love, who coined the term 'Bloodred'.

Bullseye Motley: See Hurricane Motley.

Butter: Butter Corns have both the Amelanistic and Caramel mutations. They look like Snow Corns with extra yellow, which makes sense if you think of the Caramel mutation as a new type of "high-yellow" Anerythrism. You might think of the Butter Corn as a "Hyperxanthic Snow" Corn. The Butter Corn line was originally developed by Rich Zuchowski.

Candy Cane: Candy Cane Corns are nearly white, with red saddles. They can be produced by careful crossing of Miami Phase Corns and light Amelanistic Corns, thus expressing (after two generations) Amelanism in the high contrast Miami Phase background. <Consider Candy Canes as Amelanistics in the Progeny Predictor program.>

Caramel: Caramel Corns vary from a light yellow/brown to grey/brown, with saddles ranging from caramel to chocolate brown. The Caramel gene is a simple recessive mutation that may be a new type of "high yellow" Anerythrism. The original Caramel gene came from a wild caught female corn snake that Rich Zuchowski discovered in a pet store in 1983.

Charcoal: See Anerythristic (Type B).

Charcoal Ghost: See Phantom.

Chocolate: See Lavender.

Cocoa: See Lavender.

Crimson: Crimson Corns have the Hypomelanistic gene, expressed in a Miami phase background.

Fluorescent Orange: Fluorescent Orange Corns are Amelanistics with a brilliant orange ground color. Rich Zuchowski originally developed the Fluorescent Orange line "accidentally" while attempting to reproduce a suspected piebald gene. (No piebald gene has ever been proven to exist in cornsnakes.)

Ghost: Ghost Corns have both the Anerythristic (Type A) and Hypomelanistic genes. They are generally greyish or pinkish, with tanish saddles.

Hurricane Motley: Hurricane Motleys (aka Bullseye Motley, Donut Motley) are Motleys with broad margins around the 'circles' formed by the fused blotches. The name 'hurricane' refers to a resemblence of the circles/margins to the hurricane symbol on weather maps. The 'Hurricane' trait itself is a result of line breeding (not a single gene), and so cannot be modeled by the program.

Hypomelanistic (Type A): Hypomelanistic Corns have a reduced amount of melanin (dark pigment), and thus tend to be brighter than normal corns. Appearance is "in between" normal and Amelanistic. Hypomelanism is a simple recessive mutation. The first known Hypomelanistic was found in 1984 at a reptile display, and lines were then developed by Bill and Kathy Love, and by John Cole. When Hypomelanism is expressed in a 'Miami Phase' backround, thh result is called a 'Crimson' Corn. At least two new, independent genes have been discovered to cause Hypomelanism. They are Sunkissed (aka Hypomelanism Type B) and Lava (Hypomelanism Type C). The three types of Hypomelanism are not compatible with each other, i.e. breeding one to the other will result in normal (non-Hypo) offspring.

Lava: Lava (aka HypomelanisticType C, aka Trans Hypo) is a third type of hypomelanism and has been proven different from the first two types (A and B). It may or may not be the same as corns being marketed as 'ultra hypo'. Test breeding between 'ultra' and 'lava' should be completed by the summer of 2004 and will prove or disprove their compatibility. Lavas originated from wild-caught corns from Jasper County, SC that were sold by Gordon Schuett to Joe Pierce of California in 1992. The Hypos that resulted from these corns look different from the other two types, with a milky translucense to the black pigments. They generally look lighter in color overall than other hypos, almost like dark amelanistic corns with dark eyes. The line has already been crossed into Anerythristics, resulting in a combination known as Ice Ghost. Joe Pierce and others are combining it with other morphs such as charcoal, lavender, and caramel, hoping to produce very bright and different looking multi-trait animals.

Lavender: Also known as Chocolate, Cocoa, and Mocha. Lavender Corns look a little like Anerythristics, but with a lavender or smokey brown color, often with orange highlights. They also have ruby eyes. Lavender is a simple recessive mutation. The trait originally appeared (unexpectedly) in a single specimen hatched by Rich Zuchowski in 1985. Other lines have sprung up, apparently from normal looking animals Rich sold in the 1980's that were carrying the gene. The gene is believed to have originated in a wild caught female, which came from an area between Sarasota and Punta Gorda, Florida.

Miami Phase: Miami Phase Corns are a naturally occurring "normal" Cornsnake from Dade County Florida. They have silver/grey ground color, with orange, red or maroon saddles. The saddle edges are generally a well-defined black. The name Miami Phase is often applied to Cornsnakes with similar colors, regardless of their area of origin. Rich Zuchowski was probably the first to breed these animals, and he coined the term "Miami Phase".

Milk Snake Phase: Milk Snake Phase Corns are "top of the line" Miami Phase Corns, i.e. they have especially high contrast between ground color and saddles. Rich Zuchowski developed this offshoot line beginning in 1984, and coined the term "Milk Snake Phase" for their resemblance Coastal Plains Milk Snakes. <Consider Milk Snake Phase Corns as "Normals" in the Progeny Predictor program.>

Mocha: See Lavender.

Motley: Motley Corns are typified by fusion of the saddles and a loss of lateral blotches and ventral checking. Motley corns can have either an almost striped dorsal pattern or a series of irregular blotches. Motley is caused by a single recessive gene. H. Bernard Bechtel first discovered this mutation in 1972, and proved that it was heritable in 1977. Also see A Note About the Motley, Striped, and Striped Motley Morphs.

Normal: see Typical.

Okeetee: Okeetee Corn originally meant Cornsnakes collected at the Okeetee Hunt Club in Okeetee, S.C. Okeetees are typified by a rich orange ground color and deep red saddles with broad, well defined black edging. The term Okeetee has come to mean any Cornsnake with this coloration, regardless of its area of origin.

Opal: Opal is the combination of Amelanistic and Lavender traits, and was developed by Rich Zuchowski. To the author's eye, Opals tend to look like Snows, but coloration is highly variable, depending on the colors of the ancestry. An excerpt from Rich's Web Page: "Babies through about three feet in length can heve very pronounced pastel shades of orange, pink, and lavender, but mostly in the ground color, with the blotches tending to be much lighter, almost white. In some respects they look like a negative of a snow corn in that in a snow corn it is the ground color that is mostly white and the blotches that have more color to them. When they reach full maturity, the colors become more subdued with much of the pastel coloration fading quite a bit. They actually will more resemble a blizzard corn in that the pattern is very indistinct. Since this is a rather new cultivar available, I expect selective breeding to produce some dramatic variations in this line."

Pastel: Pastel Corn usually refers to particularly light colored Ghost Corns. Pastels have a pinkish or orange-ish ground color.

Pewter: Pewter Corns are Charcoals (Anerythristic Type B) with Bloodred traits. Adults are a silvery lavender color, with obscure blotches.

Bill and Kathy Love developed the Pewter line. This program defines Pewter as the combination of Charcoal and Bloodred PATTERN. In real life, a 'true Pewter' would also be influenced by Bloodred COLORATION, but the genetics of Bloodred Color cannot be modeled, because they are the result of line breeding (not a single gene). Keep this in mind when evaluating results.

Phantom: Phantom Corns are Charcoal (Anerythristic Type B) combined with Hypomelanism. They look similar to Ghost Corns, which makes sense when you consider that Ghosts are also Anerythristic (Type A) with Hypomelanism. For this reason, Phantoms are also referred to as Charcoal Ghosts. John Organiscak was the first breeder to offer Phantoms for sale.

Red Albino: see Amelanistic.

Reverse Okeetee: Reverse Okeetees come from Okeetee stock into which Amelanism has been added. They tend to be bright orange, with red saddles edged in white.

Rosy: "Rosy Rat Snakes" were at one time considered to be distinct subspecies of Cornsnake, but are now considered to be part of the subspecies guttata. Rosy Rats are generally orange with red saddles, and have a reduced amount of black, resembling Hypomelanistic Corns. These snakes are found in the lower Florida Keys.

Snow: Snow Corns have both the Amelanistic and Anerythristic (Type A) genes. Snows are white with saddles ranging from pinkish to yellowish to greenish, depending on the colors of their "normal" ancestral stock. Snow Corns also often have yellow highlights on the sides of the head and neck. Glenn Slemmer developed the first Snow Corns.

Striped: Striped Corns have four longitudinal stripes rather than saddles and blotches. The checked belly pattern is also absent. The Striped mutation is caused by a single recessive gene. The first known Striped Corn was discovered by Mike Nolan in 1985. Ernie Wagner then developed the line. Also see A Note About the Motley, Striped, and Striped Motley Morphs.

Striped Motley: See Motley, Striped, and A Note About the Motley, Striped, and Striped Motley Morphs.

Sunglow: Sunglow Corns are Amelanistics that have orange backgrounds with red saddles, and completely lack any white markings. Some Sunglows also have the Hypomelanistic (Type A) gene, but Hypo is not essential to produce Sunglows. What is essential is line-breeding to eliminate the last vestiges of white markings. <Consider Sunglows as Amelanistics in the Progeny Predictor program, or if you know your Sunglow also has the Hypo gene, add that.

Sunkissed: Sunkissed (aka Hypomelanism Type B) is a form of Hypomelanism (reduced black pigmentation) that is unrelated to the original form of Hypomelanism. In the 1990's, a new type of hypo gene turned up in Kathy and Bill Love's collection of pure Okeetees. It looked very similar to the 'old' hypo, except that individuals had Okeetee patterns and colors with less than the usual amount of black. It became known as the 'hypo Okeetee' or 'Sunkissed'. Subsequently, Rich Zuchowski bred the new Sunkissed (Hypo Type B) with the 'old Hypos (Type A), producing all normals, proving them to be seperate genes.

Sunset: Sunset Corns are a naturally occurring "normal" Cornsnake from the Piedmont region in South Carolina. The name "Sunset" comes from the name of a town in the region, not from the snakes' coloration. Young specimens resemble Miami Phase Corns, but darken as they age. The saddles sometimes fade and faint stripes sometimes develop. Some specimens develop yellow highlights along the sides of the first third of their bodies.

Typical: The ground color for typical (i.e. "normal") corn snakes varies from greyish to brownish to yellowish to orange-ish. Saddles vary from shades of brown to maroon to red, and are usually edged in black. The belly usually has a grey or black checked pattern.

ZigZag: ZigZag (aka Aztec) Corns have a pattern that looks to be intermediate between Striped and Motley, but are not related (genetically) to those morphs. ZigZag Corns have saddles fused into a "zigzag" pattern down their backs. ZigZag was once thought to be due to a single recessive gene, but this is in some doubt. This program treats ZigZag as a single recessive for those who wish to do so.

Bill and Kathy Love developed the ZigZag line from the Pine Island Charcoals.

 

 

Albino (Tyrosinase -) • Albino(T-) Ball Pythons represent "amelanism" for their species. This genetic trait doesn't allow the body to produce "Melanin" (black pigment) resulting in a yellow and white animal. This gene is simple recessive.

Albino Spider (Tyrosinase -) • Here is the FIRST dominant x recessive "designer" creation. These are a combination of the Spider and Albino (T-) genes. This is a new one who looks exactly like it sounds... a nice yellow animal with that "spider webbed" line down the back and cool markings on the head. With age these animals should develop the white "pixelation" on their sides charateristic of anything containing Spider genetics!

Axanthic (VPI, SnakeKeeper & Jolliff Lines) • This gene represents "axanthism" in Ball Pythons. Axanthic Ball Pythons lack the ability to produce "Xanthophores" (yellow pigment). The resulting animals are typically "silver" and "black" as hatchlings. Axanthic Ball Pythons still have the ability to produce black and red pigments which cause most of them to gain a "brownish" coloration as adults. There are currently 3 different proven genetic lines of Axanthic Ball Pythons (VPI, SnakeKeeper & Jolliff.) All three of these are simply recessive and have shown to be incompatible thus far.

Bumblebee Spider • Bumblebee Ball Pythons are the first "double dominant" morph. These are a combination of the Pastel Jungle and Spider genes. There is not much to say about this morph other than it is AWESOME! The combination of the Pastel Jungle coloration with the reduced pattern and speckled white sides of a Spider makes for one of the most amazing Ball morphs currently available!

Caramel Albino (Tyrosinase +) • It seems that Caramel Albino Ball Pythons are Tyrosinase + meaning their body can synthesize Tyrosine but not Melanin. The result is an animal that is essentially "amelanistic" but still maintains a darker more contrasted appearance. Tyrosinae + animals tend to show a "purple" coloration where an Amelanistic specimen would show "white". This gene is also simply recessive. Also known as "Xanthic" Ball Pythons

Caramel Glow • Here is another AWESOME "double homozygous" gene. Caramel Glows are a combination of the Caramel Albino(T+) and Hypomelanistic genes. The result is an animal that looks like a Hypo in shed! Just when you though the coloration couldn't look more washed out than a Hypo, you see these and they knock your socks off!

Clown • A perfect example of a pattern variation that has not had its coloration affected... Clown Ball Pythons are typically "black-backed" and they are simply recessive! Oh... don't forget about the WHACK head pattern... hence the name!

Hypomelanistic (Ghost) • Unfortunately this morph has fallen under a name that perhaps it shouldn't have... "Ghost"... Hypomelanistic Ball Pythons display a reduced synthesis of "Melanin". The result is a snake that appears as if in a permanent "shed." The "black" areas are typically brown-gray in color and in most cases the "yellow-orange" colors seem to be enhanced. Hopefully we can save the name "Ghost" for Ball Pythons that are a combination of both Axanthic and Hypomelanistic genes. This gene is simply recessive.

Killer Bee Spider • This is the official name thus far! Killer Bee Spiders are a Super Pastel Jungle version of the Bumblebee Spider "designer" morph. Man this is an EXTREME animal... just when you thought the Bumblebee Spider was at the top of your list... along comes these jewels! The Super Pastel Jungle gene lightens these up a good bit. We can't wait to see these as adults!

Lavender Albino • This form of Albino has been proven simple recessive. The "white" areas of this morph have a nice "purple-blue" tint to them and seem to maintain a nice contrast as they grow. It is still unknown if this morph shares genetic compatibility with standard Albinos or what causes the "Lavender" coloration.

Leucistic • Ok... well this ones slipped through the cracks... it has not YET been proven genetic. Leucisitc Ball Pythons are ALL SOLID WHITE... ALL WHITE with normal colored eyes?!? This is because these animals lack "chromatophores" (the skin cells that actually hold pigment.) It is thought that their bodies still produce all the pigment that a normal Ball Python would (hence the normal eye color) but their skin just doesn't hold it. The oldest and largest one in captivity is a female that has bred and produced normals, so maybe they are simple recessive?? There have also been a few "random" hatchlings in the last few years which came from normal Ball Pythons. Hopefully Leucisitc Ball Pythons will be proved genetic. They can't be "designed" with any other genes other than perhaps Albinos to result in a "Pink-Eyed" Leucistic.

Mojave • This is an interesting gene that seems to affect both pattern and coloration. The pattern of Mojave Ball Pythons seems dorsal oriented, perhaps a few small steps from a possible "Motley" Ball? The yellow coloration seems to be brighter than normal and contrasts well with the dark brown. This gene is inherited dominantly, it has not yet had the chance to be proven or disproven "incomplete dominant."

Pastel Jungle • Ok... here it is... the first Ball Python gene to be proven "incomplete dominant!" Pastel Jungles seem to have an enhanced contrast in which "black" is "more black" and yellow is "more yellow." When bred to a normal, some of the resulting offspring will show with the same traits as the parent "Pastel(s)". Breed two "Pastels" together and possibly get SUPER PASTELS!

Platinum (Lesser) • This gene seems to be dominant so far... one odd catch... These "Lesser" Platinums do not appear the same as their father, the original sire male from Africa. The original male is NOT a Super form of this gene. When bred to normal females they produces both "Lesser" Platinums and normals. Perhaps there is another gene shown in the original male ?!? That would be CRAZY... I guess we will all see this season...

Piebald • Piebald Ball Pythons... WOW! What a gene! Where do we start on this one... perhaps its weird "double-line" striped pattern or maybe the subtle but attractive BOLD... STARK... BLEACHED...T-SHIRT white splotches ALL over its body?!? This morph will get anyone excited! The Piebald gene produces a variable amount of white on the animal which can cover hardly any or nearly all of the body BUT never on the head. The skin in the white areas lack "chromatophores" (the skin cell that holds pigment)... so they are not a dirty yellow color when they grow up but WHITE! Also note the fact that Piebald Ball Pythons never have a normal pattern in their "non-white" areas. This incredible gene is simple recessive.

Pinstriped • Here is a gene similar to Spiders but retains a little more of the classic Ball Python pattern. Just as the name states... the pattern of this gene is greatly reduced or "pinstriped!" From the "Pinstripes" we have seen, we gather that most seem to posess a yellow dorsal stripe where the black patterns or either side of this "stripe" form "stripes" as well. This gene is inherited dominantly, it has not yet had the chance to be proven or disproven "incomplete dominant."

Snow (VPI, SnakeKeeper, & Jolliff Lines) • This morph is the product of combining the Axanthic and Albino (T-) genes. Take out the "black" and the "yellow" and what do you get?!? ...A great achievement in Ball Python history that's what! Snow Ball Pythons were is the first "double homozygous" gene. Which means they possesses 2 simple recessive genes in their homozygous form at the same time! Ok... enough of that blah, blah, blah... its white! Ok? Well, white with a very faint pattern and the same bright pink eyes as an Albino (T-) There have been Snow Ball Pythons produced from all three lines of Axanthic (VPI, SnakeKeeper & Jolliff.)

Spider (Spider Webbed) • Wow... what a cool one this is! Spider seems to be a pattern/color morph. This gene displays a head pattern similar to Clowns, greatly reduced "zig-zag" dorsal and side patterns and this COOL white speckling about halfway up the side from the bottom up! This gene seems to be "dominant" as opposed to "incomplete dominant" since no "Super" has been produced from "Spider" to "Spider" breedings.

Genetic Stripe • This gene also has a drastic pattern variation with no affect on coloration. Genetic Striped Ball Pythons seem to have little to no side pattern and a yellow dorsal stripe bordered by one black stripe on each side. It is possible to have a Genetic Stripe with a broken dorsal pattern. This gene is simple recessive.

Super Pastel Jungle • This gene is the same as Pastel Jungles but this is the "homozygous" form. Super Pastels are basically an extreme from of Pastel Jungle. They appear lighter and brighter than their "heterozygous" counterpart. Breed Pastel to Pastel and get a few of these... Super Pastel to Super Pastel and get ALL these!