true leucistic leopard gecko???
- Thread starter jmlslayer
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Leopardbreeder
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Is that a Blizzard or a Blazing?
N
Nigel4less
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Thats looks like a Blizzard....Most of the gecko community agrees that a true leucistic hasn't been produced yet. Just my 2 Cents.
im with the gecko commuity i dont think it has been done! let me find the link and i will post it.
*edit* it is a blizzard but peolpe think it is a "true" leucistic and the site is old and im dumb sorry http://search.aol.com/aol/redir?src...ge_details.jsp.M&clickedItemDescription=Image
*edit* it is a blizzard but peolpe think it is a "true" leucistic and the site is old and im dumb sorry http://search.aol.com/aol/redir?src...ge_details.jsp.M&clickedItemDescription=Image
Last edited:
Golden Gate Geckos
Mean Old Gecko Lady
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Looks like a very nice Blizzard!
GeckoJunkie
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I have to agree when I think of a leucistic animal I think of animals like the leucistic Texas rat, leucistic alligator and such. A white animal with slate grey to blue eyes. I havent seen that in the geckos yet......but have no doubt it will show up and then all the question about whether or not it is a leucistic will be answered.
MichaelJ
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Leucism is a condition characterized by reduced pigmentation in animals. Unlike albinism, it is caused by a reduction in all types of skin pigment, not just melanin.
Leucism is a general term for the phenotype resulting from defects in pigment cell differentiation and/or migration from the neural crest to skin, hair or feathers during development. This results in either the entire surface (if all pigment cells fail to develop) or patches of body surface (if only a subset are defective) having a lack of cells capable of making pigment.
A further difference between albinism and leucism is in eye colour. Due to the lack of melanin production in both the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and iris, albinos typically have red eyes due to the underlying blood vessels showing through. In contrast, leucistic animals have normally coloured eyes. This is because the melanocytes of the RPE are not derived from the neural crest, instead an outpouching of the neural tube generates the optic cup which, in turn, forms the retina. As these cells are from an independent developmental origin, they are typically unaffected by the genetic cause of leucism.
Using this definition, Patternless Leos are not truly a form of leucism. One could argue that by this definition Blazzing Blizzards could be considered Luecistic because there phenotype produces no pigment, and they have normal colored eyes.
However, note that the definition notes several times a, "reduced amount", not a complete. Complete would be an extreme case and would need to be proved out with progressive breeding selections.
The idea that Blazzings are actually Leucistic does hold some weight in theory. By breeding albinos successively you will eventually get the genetic mutation that causes more than just a reduction in melanin that true albinos express.
The question and main issue of speculation among enthusiasts is.. Is the Tremper Albino a true Albino??
it has reddish eyes, and a reduction in melanin compared to it's wild-type counterparts.. BUT it does not have a complete reduction of melanin, and in many cases very little reduction.. IE - cocoas, banded, etc.. Most are varying forms of yellow/orange. These animals do have active melanocytes, so many many argue that they are not, "True", Albinos.. Therefore, breeding these animals together to produce a Leucistic animal isn't truly possible because you aren't working with the right genes from the beginning..
It's a great debate and most likely will never be, "Truly", proven either way..
Hope that helps!
Leucism is a general term for the phenotype resulting from defects in pigment cell differentiation and/or migration from the neural crest to skin, hair or feathers during development. This results in either the entire surface (if all pigment cells fail to develop) or patches of body surface (if only a subset are defective) having a lack of cells capable of making pigment.
A further difference between albinism and leucism is in eye colour. Due to the lack of melanin production in both the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and iris, albinos typically have red eyes due to the underlying blood vessels showing through. In contrast, leucistic animals have normally coloured eyes. This is because the melanocytes of the RPE are not derived from the neural crest, instead an outpouching of the neural tube generates the optic cup which, in turn, forms the retina. As these cells are from an independent developmental origin, they are typically unaffected by the genetic cause of leucism.
Using this definition, Patternless Leos are not truly a form of leucism. One could argue that by this definition Blazzing Blizzards could be considered Luecistic because there phenotype produces no pigment, and they have normal colored eyes.
However, note that the definition notes several times a, "reduced amount", not a complete. Complete would be an extreme case and would need to be proved out with progressive breeding selections.
The idea that Blazzings are actually Leucistic does hold some weight in theory. By breeding albinos successively you will eventually get the genetic mutation that causes more than just a reduction in melanin that true albinos express.
The question and main issue of speculation among enthusiasts is.. Is the Tremper Albino a true Albino??
it has reddish eyes, and a reduction in melanin compared to it's wild-type counterparts.. BUT it does not have a complete reduction of melanin, and in many cases very little reduction.. IE - cocoas, banded, etc.. Most are varying forms of yellow/orange. These animals do have active melanocytes, so many many argue that they are not, "True", Albinos.. Therefore, breeding these animals together to produce a Leucistic animal isn't truly possible because you aren't working with the right genes from the beginning..
It's a great debate and most likely will never be, "Truly", proven either way..
Hope that helps!
GeckoJunkie
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Thats an interesting read Michael, Thanks for posting that!!It also brings up some good points.
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