Amelanism VS Albinism

[prestonrabe]

So do all lavenders have to have black eyes? Because one I purchased recently has red

[cold-heartedexotics]

They will have orange/copper eyes. Some young ones will have red tinted pupils at hatch but usually darken to black.

This photo you can see the faint red hue to the dark pupil. The eye is copper colored.

Lavender at 3 weeks old

Share a pic of yours

[lumpy]

That lavender is absolutely gorgeous

[t_h_wyman]

@cold-heartedexotics

Where we disagree is about how many types of Albinism there is

Per my previous post (slightly edited and emphasis added)

@t_h_wyman

In the absence of genotype, anything that gives the phenotype of red-eye, white […] is typically considered albinism. This is why there are multiple “albinos” in boas and Burms and retics and HUMANS. Logically, we know that only one of them can be the actual real Albino, but unless/until a genetic level interrogation is done, we are left with nothing but guesswork

The conventions of old change as the science progresses and provides illumination in the dark corners into which we previously could not see. Yes, in the pre-genetic era, anyone with white skin and red eyes was considered an albino. That said, it was also recognized that some albinos were different than others because they were not genetically compatible. But with the advent of the genetic era and the microscopy era, it was discovered that only one of these albino types was the true tyrosinase-negative, amelanistic Albino. All the others, regardless of appearance, were neither amelanistic nor tyrosinase-negative. Thus, by every biological definition, they are hypomelanistic and not albinistic. However, getting the entire human population, many of whom at the time were scientifically illiterate (not too different from today actually…), to understand that difference was a bit too much inertia to change and so the epithet of albino remains for any red-eyed/white human.

We see this within the hobby as well. It has been incontrovertibly proven through both genetic and molecular studies that the Amel morph in corns is not to the tyr locus and that they produce melanin. And yet we still call them Amelanistic corns, despite the evidence to the contrary. Because of inertia.

At the end of the day the fact remains that there is only one way to be amelanistic and that is to be tyrosinase-negative.

Think of it like percentages. There is only one 0% but there are an infinite number of ways to not be. 0.00000000001% melanin is still not 0% melanin, even if they look the same

[prestonrabe]

[prestonrabe]

my lavender albino motley suntiger platinum

[cold-heartedexotics]

Other genes can affect eye color. Like Goldenchild giving Silver color iris regardless of the animal is albino or not. Platinum can play a part as well. It may change as the animal gets older as well.

Beautiful Retic.

[cold-heartedexotics]

@t_h_wyman

There is only one 0% but there are an infinite number of ways to not be. 0.00000000001% melanin is still not 0% melanin, even if they look the same

Very true.

[prestonrabe]

Wow! Learn something new every day! Thank you!!

[dechev]

I am confused. Is leucism lack of any pigmentation or is it a part of the body that is lacking of any pigmentation?

And what is albino then, is it lack of only melanin or is it again lack of any pigmentation?
Thank you!

[t_h_wyman]

@dechev

Is leucism lack of any pigmentation or is it a part of the body that is lacking of any pigmentation?

As I noted above

@t_h_wyman

leucistic is a lack of all pigmentation

Some animals have been called “partial leucistic” if parts of their body (usually significant parts, like >85%) displays no pigmentation… Some people will call that same phenotype Piebald… Makes for all kinds of fun confusion
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@dechev

And what is albino then, is it lack of only melanin or is it again lack of any pigmentation?

Again, from my posts above

@t_h_wyman

Albino/Amel are just to different ways to say the same thing. Historically Albino was used to describe the red-eyed/white phenotype that was most commonly known from mammals which only have melanin. As time (and science) progressed it became obvious that some animals have more pigments than just melanin and when you take melanin out of those animals they still have some kind of colour left over.

Depending on just how anal-retentive of a person you are dealing with, some people will insist that animals that are phenotypically red-eyed/white are “Albino” while animals that are phenotypically red-eyed/white+red or +yellow are “Amel” even though the basis of the morph is the exact same gene

@t_h_wyman

Amel is shorthand for amelanistic. a- is a prefix of negation from the Greek usage a- or an- for “not” and melanistic is a derivative on melanin that comes from the Greek term melanos, meaning “dark,” Thus, literally translated as “not dark”, or, more properly, not carrying the dark pigment melanin