As of late i thought i had this whole melanistic gecko thing sorted out. I thought the only people with possible melanistic geckos were The Urban Gecko (http://theurbangecko.com/pearl.html), Living Art Geckos (http://www.livingartgeckos.com/breeders1.html), and Team Artlink Geckoss with "Black Velvet" Leopard Geckos (http://www.blackvelvets.dinstudio.se/text2_4.html). To the best of my knowledge Ron Tremper had some melanistic geckos, but they all perished in some sort of accident. Today I found the gecko in the attached photo being offered at The Gecko Ranch as a "abberant melanistic". Upon further research I found JMG reptile had a "Charcoal" gecko project underway (http://www.jmgreptile.com/charcoal.html). One of those geckos is in the attached photo of the entirely brown gecko. At this point, I'm questioning the validity of any of these forms of "melanistic" geckos and am utterly, thoroughly, bamboozled. Is there anyone that can help me out in the least?
Melanistic Gecko Confusion
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spykerherps
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Well if you look at the definition if melanism it says an increased amount of dark pigment but when referring to melanistic leopard geckos the definition states they must be all black. as to who wrote that definition. I guess some confusion. as far as reptiles go I guess they have to be all black to be considered melanistic. otherwise they are hyper melanistic also called Abundism. as fair as JMGs charcoal,no where on their site do they state the word melanistic.
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Mel&Keith
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There are actually different categories of albinism with varying degrees of pigment from none to almost normal.
spykerherps
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The definition should read decrease or lack of normal or melanin pigment not all pigment especially in reptiles.
The "white albino" concept is there because of mammals. Mammals aren't able to produce all the colors reptiles are, so when you take away the melanin from a reptile you don't usually get a completely white animal. So reptiles do indeed follow that rule.
Here’s an article on it: http://www.vmsherp.com/LCChromatophores.htm
Can someone help answer some of my first questions about the validity of these "melanistic geckos"? I know Black Pearls are the real genetic deal, but what about the others? The pictures I saw of Tremper's melanistic geckos looked a whole lot different...
Mel&Keith
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They're all melanistic. The question is how to the genetics of each line work.
Send an email to each of those breeders and ask them how the genetics of their line works. For anyone else to answer for them would pretty much be speculation since they're the only ones working with them (to my knowledge).
Bottom line is that any gecko that has excess melanin (ie. extra dark) can be considered melanistic regardless of how they got that way.
Send an email to each of those breeders and ask them how the genetics of their line works. For anyone else to answer for them would pretty much be speculation since they're the only ones working with them (to my knowledge).
Bottom line is that any gecko that has excess melanin (ie. extra dark) can be considered melanistic regardless of how they got that way.
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