Experts wanted - gecko morph?

[James Lamantia]

Hey guys I am new to this forum but not new to reptiles. I recently got into leopard geckos about 6 months ago. It is amazing how much you guys have already helped me. I have been all over this sight getting great info. I got my hands on a new gecko the other day. The problem is that the guy I got him from couldn't tell me what it was. I have no info on the parents or even who breed him. He traded the lizard for a snake that he had and now he is heading back to school so he is down sizing. I got it for what I think is a steal $35 because I think it is a nova but not sure. So I thought I would ask the experts.

 

[chazthaking2]

No you hit the nail on the head for sure. It is definitely a nova. It looks a little cold though so before I blew up the pic I thought it was a BEE

 

[Enigmatic_Reptiles]

I would agree. Looks like a cold Nova

 

[Jordan]

really? i cant see the red eyes? lol. ah well if you guys can, then guess its a nova.

 

[Syris71]

Its got at least 1 snake eye. I agree a Nova

 

[James Lamantia]

Thanks everyone.

 

[JordanAng420]

Definately Nova. Pretty little thing! And Welcome to GF, fellow South Floridian! ::Waves from Ft. Lauderdale::

 

[ddkgeckos]

is a "cold nova" the same as a dark tremper. Incubated at lower temps to get a darker colour?

 

[Quantumhigh]

is a "cold nova" the same as a dark tremper. Incubated at lower temps to get a darker colour?

Probally incubation sexed for female in the low 80's. Incubation at a lower temperature is mostly for trying to product females. I dont know if anyone really trys to incubate at low temps for a darker color. If anything people debate incubation at a higher temp for brighter colors. Here is a good article on temperature effects from Ron Tremper http://www.leopardgecko.com/effects-on-temperature

Beautiful gecko, what a steal for $35.

 

[Pokersnake]

OK. I have a problem with that article. While his writing may or may not be true, his pictures do not support his theory. If he really wanted to give us a comparison of two clutch mates to compare their colors, he would have photographed them on the same background. The "darker" cold sibling may only seem darker because it's photographed on a bright yellow paper while the "brighter one is contrasted by dark gray.

If a true scientific study of color gene expression vs incubation temperature were to be done, one would have to clone individuals and incubate at varying temperatures. Not just 80 and 90. How much difference does each 2, 5, or 10 degrees make? I would like to see something more thorough before anyone has me convinced.

 

[Quantumhigh]

200+ hatchling, thats a pretty good batch number to make in significant study. Iam pretty sure its almost common knowledge among leo breeders that males are generally brighter and a higher incubation temperature will yield brighter coloration geckos.

Ive personally seen in just one season of breeding the hatchlings I incubated at 87-88f are brighter then the ones I incubated at 83-84f.

 

[Pokersnake]

200+ hatchling, thats a pretty good batch number to make in significant study. Iam pretty sure its almost common knowledge among leo breeders that males are generally brighter and a higher incubation temperature will yield brighter coloration geckos.

OK. You got me. I missed the 200+ sample size. That's an alright number.

But I would still like to see the experiment done on genetically identical individuals. Then again... I'm a big nerd like that.

 

[miiike]

Iam pretty sure its almost common knowledge among leo breeders that males are generally brighter and a higher incubation temperature will yield brighter coloration geckos.

But where is the study proving it is the incubation temp and not a difference in the sexes? Has anyone taken samples of "hot" females and "cold" males to see?

 

[Jordan]

But where is the study proving it is the incubation temp and not a difference in the sexes? Has anyone taken samples of "hot" females and "cold" males to see?

because the sex is determined in the first three weeks of incubation, so if you want male you only need the first three weeks to be male temps. then you can go to whatever temp. So it will have been tested for both sexes, eg lock female sex in first three weeks then turn temp up for hot females and keep temp low for cold females. and vice versa for males.

So if you want a dark male, first 3 weeks of incubation have high temps then after that have lower temps.
And a bright female, have first 3 weeks low temps then turn up to higher temps to brighten

 

[Quantumhigh]

because the sex is determined in the first three weeks of incubation, so if you want male you only need the first three weeks to be male temps. then you can go to whatever temp. So it will have been tested for both sexes, eg lock female sex in first three weeks then turn temp up for hot females and keep temp low for cold females. and vice versa for males.

So if you want a dark male, first 3 weeks of incubation have high temps then after that have lower temps.
And a bright female, have first 3 weeks low temps then turn up to higher temps to brighten

+1

 

[Pokersnake]

Quantumhigh:Ive personally seen in just one season of breeding the hatchlings I incubated at 87-88f are brighter then the ones I incubated at 83-84f.

miiike:
But where is the study proving it is the incubation temp and not a difference in the sexes? Has anyone taken samples of "hot" females and "cold" males to see?
because the sex is determined in the first three weeks of incubation, so if you want male you only need the first three weeks to be male temps. then you can go to whatever temp. So it will have been tested for both sexes, eg lock female sex in first three weeks then turn temp up for hot females and keep temp low for cold females. and vice versa for males.

Jordan:
So if you want a dark male, first 3 weeks of incubation have high temps then after that have lower temps.
And a bright female, have first 3 weeks low temps then turn up to higher temps to brighten




OK. I see conflicting information here. One person says Males are just brighter. Another person says it's temperature. So which is it? Is a male incubated at the same temperature as a female going to be brighter? If so, then I would say there's some genetics at play, not just temperature. I am obviously no expert, but I feel that some information is missing. It makes me just want to pick up a book and read about it. Or at least get my hands on the published lab write up of Tremper's.

/confused