Allelic Morphs aka Complexes [Boa Constrictors]

Boas Boa Constrictors
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Here is a list of all the Allelic Morphs, also commonly referred to as complexes. Feel free to discuss any updates as this will be a forever evolving list. Links, Pictures, 1st hand knowledge, ect. of a breeding trail that shows they are allelic helps tremendously.

Last Update: Jan 19, 2023

Albino complex

  • BWC

  • Sharp

  • Prodigy

  • Paradigm = Het Sharp + Het BWC

  • Paradise = Het Sharp + Het Prodigy

  • ??? = Het BWC + Het Prodigy

Motley Complex

  • Motley
  • Hypo
  • Keltic
  • Smoke = Het Keltic + Het Motley (fatal)
  • ??? = Het Keltic + Het Hypo
  • ??? = Het Hypo + Het Motley

Leopard Complex

  • Leopard
  • Black
  • Onyx
    ??? = Het Leopard + Het Black
    ??? = Het Leopard + Het Onxy
    ??? = Het Onyx + Het Black
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@lumpy @warren_booth @westridge @tommccarthy

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Isn’t motley and hypo just a gene combo? What would make them allelic?

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Being allelic means they are both different forms of the same gene, known as alleles.

Alleles are variations in a gene’s sequence that can lead to different expressions of a trait.

So the muattions are happening at the same location.

As each location only has 2 slots for any alleles to take up, we can not have a Super/Homo Motley + Super/Homo Hypo… or Super/Homo Hypo + Motley… etc… as each homo requires both slots.

Let’s go a step further…

Dominant, incomplete dominant, and recessive traits all have heterozygous AND homozygous forms, which basically means how many copies of a specific gene they have received from their parents.

Heterozygous = 1 copy
Homozygous = 2 copies

The different terms are used to describe when that gene might alter the appearance of an animal from it’s “normal” or “wild type” appearance. The herping community refers to that changed appearance as “visual”.

Here are some examples of the three different types and how the visual aspect fits into each one:

Piebald -
Recessive:
Het = Not Visual – takes up 1 slot
Homo = Visual – takes up 2 slots

Black Pastel -
Incomplete Dominant:
Het = Visual – takes up 1 slot
Homo = A different visual (AKA “Super”) – takes up 2 slots

Leopard -
Dominant:
Het = Visual – takes up 1 slot
Homo = The same Visual as the het – takes up 2 slots

So we can not have more than:

  • 1 super/homo
    OR
  • 2 Hets

From the same allelic group.

We can’t get a Motley Hypo Keltic, for example.

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