Category: Morphs

2010 Striped Motley

Striped Motley (no aka)
Most Commonly Used Name: Striped Motley
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Recessive
Morph Type: Single Recessive
Eye Color: Black pupil & body ground colored iris


the Motley markings will be connected in striped fashion.  These

What to expect:
As with most corn snake neonates, expect young Str M


Important Note:
The advertising images on our web site are representations of the average adult example of each morph.  These images are not renderings of the actual animals being offered, (except for uniquely offered snakes found in the SURPLUS section of this web site).  We do not provide pictures of individual hatchling snakes for sale, nor do we recommend that you ever choose a new pet based on an image of its neonatal form.  Corns change so dramatically from hatchling to adult, they will NEVER have the same colors or contrasts throughout maturity. While most of the snakes we produce will mature to resemble the featured adult image(s) on our web site, unlike manufactured products that are respectively clones of each other, the nature of polygenic variation results in each animal being similar but not identical to others of its morph. The snake we select for you may not mature to be identical to the pictured examples, but will be chosen based on our experience of observing which neonates will mature to properly represent their respective morph.  We take this responsibility very seriously, and therefore publish the guarantee that we will exchange your SMR snake if it does not mature to be like our advertised examples.

2010 Ultramel Charcoal

Ultramel Charcoal (aka: Ultra charcoal)
Most Commonly Used Name: Ultramel Charcoal
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Codominant with Amel
Morph Type: Codominant (only with Amel) & recessive Charcoal
Eye Color:  Dark Red pupil & body ground colored iris
Note:  Ultramel is the heterozygote of the the mutation, Ultra.
See ULTRamel for an explanation of the genetic mechanics of the ULTRA codominant mutation.

INTERSPECIES  HYBRID

The founder (discoverer) of the Ultra mutation states that he originally paired a gray rat snake with a corn snake, in the discovery of this mutation.  By the time most of us were made aware of the HYBRID origins of Ultra types (originally named Ultra Hypos), we had already bred it into many other corn snake mutations.  It was therefore collectively decided that in so much as it would be virtually impossible to track down (and eliminate) each and every snake containing the Ultra gene (surely thousands of individuals in the collections of hundreds of breeders and keepers), the mutation would be treated like other pure corns.  In so much as it generally did not alter the corn snake appearance, it was known that even if peoples’ snakes had the Ultra gene mutation, they would either be unaware or could avoid mentioning it.  Those of you out there that are boycotting HYBRID corns are advised to avoid acquisition of suspicious-looking corns with the word ULTRA in the morph description. Likewise, purists that admirably endeavor to promote only the genetically purest of corns are urged to question corns that have suspiciously abnormal features that have been historically identified as hybrid markers.  Not that all such markers are proof of alien origins. Especially because of the difficulty and expense of formulating a DNA base line for all North American colubrid snake species, and in the absence of expensive DNA testing to identify authenticity of pure corns, without obvious visual and/or genetic distinctions, identification of legitimately pure (or impure) corns is difficult at this time, if not completely impossible.

Other than appearance, the primary (and inherent) value of Ultra Type Corns (Ultras and Ultramels and their color and pattern compounds) is their mode of genetic inheritance.  Since they are co-dominant to Amelanistics, pairing any Ultra Type to ANY Amel corn (or Het thereof) will render Ultra types in the F1 (first) generation of out-crossing to non-Ultra type corns.  The results of pairing an Ultra-type with a non-Amel corn (or Het thereof) will render Mendelian results that parallel recessively-inherited mutations; no Ultra-types will result and all progeny will be Het for Ultra when bred to non-Amels.

What to expect:
Ultramel Charcoals are stunning.  As anticipated, they are very much like the Anery Ultramels, but with a softer version of black or gray.  Some have the pink violet colored blush in the cheeks and neck, but ovrer all coloration will be different hues of gray. Like their Ultramel Anery cousins, expect a great deal of carotenoid yellow as they mature.  Of course, there will be no apparent yellow until they are a few months old.  Then, yellow will increase rapidly with maturity.  The other obvious distinction between Anery and Charcoals is in the eyes.  Ultramel Charcoals have less contrast between pupil and iris than do Ultramel Aneries. 

Important Note:
The advertising images on our web site are representations of the average adult example of each morph.  These images are not renderings of the actual animals being offered, (except for uniquely offered snakes found in the SURPLUS section of this web site).  We do not provide pictures of individual hatchling snakes for sale, nor do we recommend that you ever choose a new pet based on an image of its neonatal form.  Corns change so dramatically from hatchling to adult, they will NEVER have the same colors or contrasts throughout maturity. While most of the snakes we produce will mature to resemble the featured adult image(s) on our web site, unlike manufactured products that are respectively clones of each other, the nature of polygenic variation results in each animal being similar but not identical to others of its morph. The snake we select for you may not mature to be identical to the pictured examples, but will be chosen based on our experience of observing which neonates will mature to properly represent their respective morph.  We take this responsibility very seriously, and therefore publish the guarantee that we will exchange your SMR snake if it does not mature to be like our advertised examples.

2010 Striped Ultramel Motley

INTERSPECIES  HYBRID

Striped Ultramel Motley (no aka)
Most Commonly Used Name: Striped Ultramel Motley
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Codominant (Ultramel) & Recessive (Motley)
Morph Type: Mutation Compound – recessive & codominant
Eye Color:  Dark red pupil & body ground colored iris
See ULTRamel for an explanation of the genetic mechanics of the ULTRA codominant mutation.
Note:  Ultramel is the heterozygote of the the mutation, Ultra.

INTERSPECIES  HYBRID

The founder (discoverer) of the Ultra mutation states that he originally paired a gray rat snake with a corn snake, in the discovery of this mutation.  By the time most of us were made aware of the HYBRID origins of Ultra types (originally named Ultra Hypos), we had already bred it into many other corn snake mutations.  It was therefore collectively decided that in so much as it would be virtually impossible to track down (and eliminate) each and every snake containing the Ultra gene (surely thousands of individuals in the collections of hundreds of breeders and keepers), the mutation would be treated like other pure corns.  In so much as it generally did not alter the corn snake appearance, it was known that even if peoples’ snakes had the Ultra gene mutation, they would either be unaware or could avoid mentioning it.  Those of you out there that are boycotting HYBRID corns are advised to avoid acquisition of suspicious-looking corns with the word ULTRA in the morph description. Likewise, purists that admirably endeavor to promote only the genetically purest of corns are urged to question corns that have suspiciously abnormal features that have been historically identified as hybrid markers.  Not that all such markers are proof of alien origins. Especially because of the difficulty and expense of formulating a DNA base line for all North American colubrid snake species, and in the absence of expensive DNA testing to identify authenticity of pure corns, without obvious visual and/or genetic distinctions, identification of legitimately pure (or impure) corns is difficult at this time, if not completely impossible.

Other than appearance, the primary (and inherent) value of Ultra Type Corns (Ultras and Ultramels and their color and pattern compounds) is their mode of genetic inheritance.  Since they are co-dominant to Amelanistics, pairing any Ultra Type to ANY Amel corn (or Het thereof) will render Ultra types in the F1 (first) generation of out-crossing to non-Ultra type corns.  The results of pairing an Ultra-type with a non-Amel corn (or Het thereof) will render Mendelian results that parallel recessively-inherited mutations; no Ultra-types will result and all progeny will be Het for Ultra when bred to non-Amels.

Combining the Striped Motley pattern mutation with Ultramel results in this deeply hypomelanistic corn. 

What to expect:
As hatchlings, they resemble some of the best Hypomelanistic corns on the market.  Some have traces of white on parts of some scales (a trait almost never seen in other Hypo mutants), and of course, they have about the same number of black scales seen in most Hypo types.  Being Striped Motley, most of the black scales will fade to dark gray or silver.  The eye pupils of neonates are between red and dark red in color, but throughout maturity, they darken to a very dark red — almost black.

ulameyes
Eye comparison between
Hatchling and Adult Ultramels

 

Important Note:
The advertising images on our web site are representations of the average adult example of each morph.  These images are not renderings of the actual animals being offered, (except for uniquely offered snakes found in the SURPLUS section of this web site).  We do not provide pictures of individual hatchling snakes for sale, nor do we recommend that you ever choose a new pet based on an image of its neonatal form.  Corns change so dramatically from hatchling to adult, they will NEVER have the same colors or contrasts throughout maturity. While most of the snakes we produce will mature to resemble the featured adult image(s) on our web site, unlike manufactured products that are respectively clones of each other, the nature of polygenic variation results in each animal being similar but not identical to others of its morph. The snake we select for you may not mature to be identical to the pictured examples, but will be chosen based on our experience of observing which neonates will mature to properly represent their respective morph.  We take this responsibility very seriously, and therefore publish the guarantee that we will exchange your SMR snake if it does not mature to be like our advertised examples.

2010-Ultra/Ultramel

INTERSPECIES  HYBRID

Ultramel (no aka)
Most Commonly Used Name: Ultramel
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Codominant with Amel
Morph Type: Hybrid Codominant
Eye Color:  Dark Red pupil & body ground colored iris

Note:  Ultramel is the heterozygote of the the mutation, Ultra.

INTERSPECIES  HYBRID

The founder (discoverer) of the Ultra mutation states that he originally paired a gray rat snake with a corn snake, in the discovery of this mutation.  By the time most of us were made aware of the HYBRID origins of Ultra types (originally named Ultra Hypos), we had already bred it into many other corn snake mutations.  It was therefore collectively decided that in so much as it would be virtually impossible to track down (and eliminate) each and every snake containing the Ultra gene (surely thousands of individuals in the collections of hundreds of breeders and keepers), the mutation would be treated like other pure corns.  In so much as it generally did not alter the corn snake appearance, it was known that even if peoples’ snakes had the Ultra gene mutation, they would either be unaware or could avoid mentioning it.  Those of you out there that are boycotting HYBRID corns are advised to avoid acquisition of suspicious-looking corns with the word ULTRA in the morph description. Likewise, purists that admirably endeavor to promote only the genetically purest of corns are urged to question corns that have suspiciously abnormal features that have been historically identified as hybrid markers.  Not that all such markers are proof of alien origins. Especially because of the difficulty and expense of formulating a DNA base line for all North American colubrid snake species, and in the absence of expensive DNA testing to identify authenticity of pure corns, without obvious visual and/or genetic distinctions, identification of legitimately pure (or impure) corns is difficult at this time, if not completely impossible.

Ultramel corns are the heterozygous (hobby abbreviation Het) products of the Ultra mutation.  At SMR, we seldom offer the homozygous version of the Ultra mutation because there is a subtle and often indistinguishable difference between the homo (Ultra) and het (Ultramel) versions. Genetically speaking, Ultras are the powerhouse genetic version of this mutation in so much as when you breed one to any Amel corn snake, 100% of the progeny will be Ultramels.  Breeding Ultramels to Amels results in approximately 50% Ultramels and approximately 50% Amels.  Generally, Ultramels are more colorful than Ultras, but there are exceptions in both directions.

Other than appearance, the primary (and inherent) value of Ultra Type Corns (Ultras and Ultramels and their color and pattern compounds) is their mode of genetic inheritance.  Since they are co-dominant to Amelanistics, pairing any Ultra Type to ANY Amel corn (or Het thereof) will render Ultra types in the F1 (first) generation of out-crossing to non-Ultra type corns.  The results of pairing an Ultra-type with a non-Amel corn (or Het thereof) will render Mendelian results that parallel recessively-inherited mutations; no Ultra-types will result and all progeny will be Het for Ultra when bred to non-Amels.

This is one of the few corn snake morphs that you should not purchase based on the pictured example.  This is because of the extreme diversity of appearance within the mutation/morph.  I could easily make this statement about most corn snake mutants, but the reason I do so here is because the real value of this mutation is its mode of inheritance.  Few corn snake mutations are inherited in dominant fashion, so the primary reason most snake lovers purchase Ultras or Ultramels is because when they breed one to any snake with a form of classic amelanism, approximately 50% of the F1 broods will be Ultra-type mutants (or approximately 25% – in the case of breeding the an Ultramel to a corn that is het for Amel and 100% if you breed an Ultra to an Amel type). I think you will be amply satisfied with any phenotype you receive from an Ultra type, but should you choose to buy one based on the sample picture on any web site, you may be disappointed if your’s does not mature to be exactly like the one that inticed you to purchase one.

Both Ultras and Ultramels render some of the most extreme examples of hypomelanism in corns, but a hypo-type phenotype is the genetic and visual function we recognize.  Some people call them Ultra or Ultramel Hypos, but I prefer to leave off the “hypo” since the chromosomal location of this mutation is the same as Amel (Ultra and Amel reside on the same locus of the chromosome) and therefore has nothing genetically to do with the Hypo gene locus.  Also, the hobby vernacular for the double mutant that is homozygous for both Hypo A and Ultramel would be Ultramel Hypo.  Upon hearing/reading these two words together, you would surely presume that the snake Ultramel Hypo is a double mutant.  Hence, those two words together are incorrect and confusing — when describing the single mutant genotypes, Ultramel or Ultra.  When you breed an Ultra type to any corn that is not Amel (or Het Amel), this mutation genetically behaves as a recessive.  Example:  Pairing an Ultra with an Amel results in 100% Ultramel progeny.  Pairing an Ultramel with an Amel results in progeny consisting of approximately 50% Amels and approximately 50% Ultramels.  Pairing an Ultra with a wild-type corn that is not het for Amel results in 100% normals (wild type) that are all het for Ultra.

What to expect:
Hatchlings often look like extreme Hypo mutants, but some are nearly as brightly colored as Amel corns (lacking so much overall black). Of course, the main distinction between the two is the pink/red eye pupil in Amels and the wine-colored pupil in Ultramels.  There is great variation in the degree of red in both eye pupil and pattern coloration.

Important Note:
The advertising images on our web site are representations of the average adult example of each morph.  These images are not renderings of the actual animals being offered, (except for uniquely offered snakes found in the SURPLUS section of this web site).  We do not provide pictures of individual hatchling snakes for sale, nor do we recommend that you ever choose a new pet based on an image of its neonatal form.  Corns change so dramatically from hatchling to adult, they will NEVER have the same colors or contrasts throughout maturity. While most of the snakes we produce will mature to resemble the featured adult image(s) on our web site, unlike manufactured products that are respectively clones of each other, the nature of polygenic variation results in each animal being similar but not identical to others of its morph. The snake we select for you may not mature to be identical to the pictured examples, but will be chosen based on our experience of observing which neonates will mature to properly represent their respective morph.  We take this responsibility very seriously, and therefore publish the guarantee that we will exchange your SMR snake if it does not mature to be like our advertised examples.

2010 Neon Snow Motley 071611

This 2010 Female Neon Motley Snow is now 23″ long and eating frozen/thawed, large fuzzy mice.  She has superior green and pink coloration that will deepen with maturity.  Since I have never had one this deeply colored, I have no idea how she will look as an adult, but all such compount mutants dramatically saturate colors with maturity.  Of course, she is homozygous for Snow (Amel & Anery),  Motley, and Strawberry (aka: Red Mask Gene), in addition to the selectively bred polygenic trait modifications from the Neon line, originated by Stephen Wagner from selective variants of Lloyd Lemke’s Bubblegum Snows.

Glossary Term Hyperlinks:

aerobic allele amelanistic anerythrism anomaly anterior atypical axanthic Bechtel, Dr. H. Bernard brumation Carl Kauffeld carotene carotenoid Celcius chromatophore chromosome cloaca codominant colubrid compound conjunct contiguous cryptosis disjunct diurnal DNA dominant dorsal dysecdysis ecdysis ectothermic embryo embryogenic empirical epidermis erythrism erythrophore F1 Fahrenheit genotype gene genotype gravid guarantee hatchling herpetoculture heritable heredity herpetology heterozygous homozygous Hume hybrid hyper hypomelanistic hypo integument intergrade iridiophore lateral leucism line-breeding locus marker melanin melanophore melanosome Mendelian morph mutation neonate nominate novel ontogenetic out-cross pathogen phenotype pinky polygenic progeny punnett recessive respire rheostat selective variation SMR taxonomy thermoregulation thermostat trait ventral ventral keel wild-type xanthin xanthophore yearling


Morph Hyperlinks:

2010 Key Corn

Key (aka: Key’s, Rosy Rat)
Most Commonly Used Name: Key Corn
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Locality Wild Type
Morph Type: Wild Type
Eye Color:  Black pupil & body ground colored iris


An insular race of corns sometimes known by their original name, Rosy Rats, are a generally pale race of wild-type corns that surely owe their general appearance to the fact that they are somewhat genetically isolated from mainland forms of their corn snake species, Pantherophis guttatus.  The latest scientific studies have demonstrated that they are not a separate subspecies and therefore, their old and temporary scientific name, Elaphe guttata rosacea, does not apply.  I suspect that if Man allows this race of corns to thrive on the keys, it may one DAY exhibit unique DNA distinction that will warrant sub-specific taxonomic status. Expect captive Key Corn lines to be much paler with much less black than most of their wild counterparts. If you randomly field collected most of the Keys of Florida, the variation of color themes and volume of black pigmentation would be great. 

Several breeders (myself included) have performed breeding trials to verify that Terrazzos are not allelic to other gene mutations.  Results were somewhat mixed – probably because people have been breeding mutations into Key Corns for so many years – but the general consensus is that most Key Corns are not allelic to current mutations.  I’ve personally bred Key Corns to Diffused (aka: bloodreds) and all the babies were phenotypes for Diffused mutants.  Many more breeding trials are in order.  Partly because of the diversity between many of the different Key habitants (including some South Dade County, Florida, corns that satisfy the visual Key Corn standard.


Terrazzos have the beautiful tan and gray color scheme common to many of the middle-to-lower Keys Corns, and in typical Keys Corn fashion, their bellies are notably unlike bellies of mainland corns. Rarely is even one black scale found on these mutants, and the bellies are usually completely devoid of pattern or other colors. Some will have random patches of color on their bellies, but not black (this is not to say we won’t someDAY see black on Terrazzos – perhaps via out-crossing them with other mutations). Terrazzos are a lean race of corns, some reaching the length of typical mainland corns, but rarely the girth of common corns.
Note: Not all Key Corns are devoid of black.  Many have black in their pattern AND on their bellies, but in that this is mostly due to captive selective breeding of the ones with the least melanin, don’t expect them to exemplify wild Key Corns.  As hatchlings, they can have considerably more black than you’d expect and their color contrast between markings and ground color zones can be high.  However, as adults, most will have very little (or no) black anywhere on their bodies.  Most adult Key Corns in the hobby toDAY have bellies that lack black pigmentation, but when it is present, it’s usually relegated to the first third of the belly.  After that, they have variations of pattern between None and two or three tone speckling. In that we have been out-crossing them to popular morphs and mutations in captivity, patterns and colors can be diverse, but the basic standard points to mostly tan individuals.


What to expect:
Hatchling Key Corns are dark-colored when compared to their adult counterparts, and at a glance you would not suspect they would mature to look so much like a Hypo mutant. Except for pattern, some adults have colors similar to the most hypomelanistic HYPO mutants (virtually devoid of black). I have bred Keys Corns to Hypo mutants and re-produced Hypo mutants, but that does not always happen. It would be totally understandable that someone thought the Keys Corn they had was a Hypo mutant, and bred it to a Hypo mutant – thereby infusing the Hypo mutation into that family line. Then, there is the visual confusion; is that a Hypo mutant or a Key Corn?  The answer to that question is not even easily answered by breeding trials.  Until we discover the distinction between those two phenotypes, it may always be confusing, but eventually, the confusion will be solved by the Hypo mutation being in many/most Key Corns.  Charles Pritzel has pioneered microscopic studies that may be the very tool we need to distinguish between the hypomelanistic types. 


Important Note:
The advertising images on our web site are representations of the average adult example of each morph.  These images are not renderings of the actual animals being offered, (except for uniquely offered snakes found in the SURPLUS section of this web site).  We do not provide pictures of individual hatchling snakes for sale, nor do we recommend that you ever choose a new pet based on an image of its neonatal form.  Corns change so dramatically from hatchling to adult, they will NEVER have the same colors or contrasts throughout maturity. While most of the snakes we produce will mature to resemble the featured adult image(s) on our web site, unlike manufactured products that are respectively clones of each other, the nature of polygenic variation results in each animal being similar but not identical to others of its morph. The snake we select for you may not mature to be identical to the pictured examples, but will be chosen based on our experience of observing which neonates will mature to properly represent their respective morph.  We take this responsibility very seriously, and therefore publish the guarantee that we will exchange your SMR snake if it does not mature to be like our advertised examples.

2010 Ultramel Bloodred

Ultramel Bloodred (aka: Diffused Ultramel)
Most Commonly Used Name: Ultramel Bloodred
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Codominant with Amel
Morph Type: Codominant only with Amel
Eye Color: Dark Red pupil & body ground colored iris
Note:  Ultramel is the heterozygote of the the mutation, Ultra.
See ULTRamel for an explanation of the genetic mechanics of the ULTRA codominant mutation.

INTERSPECIES  HYBRID

The founder (discoverer) of the Ultra mutation states that he originally paired a gray rat snake with a corn snake, in the discovery of this mutation.  By the time most of us were made aware of the HYBRID origins of Ultra types (originally named Ultra Hypos), we had already bred it into many other corn snake mutations.  It was therefore collectively decided that in so much as it would be virtually impossible to track down (and eliminate) each and every snake containing the Ultra gene (surely thousands of individuals in the collections of hundreds of breeders and keepers), the mutation would be treated like other pure corns.  In so much as it generally did not alter the corn snake appearance, it was known that even if peoples’ snakes had the Ultra gene mutation, they would either be unaware or could avoid mentioning it.  Those of you out there that are boycotting HYBRID corns are advised to avoid acquisition of suspicious-looking corns with the word ULTRA in the morph description. Likewise, purists that admirably endeavor to promote only the genetically purest of corns are urged to question corns that have suspiciously abnormal features that have been historically identified as hybrid markers.  Not that all such markers are proof of alien origins. Especially because of the difficulty and expense of formulating a DNA base line for all North American colubrid snake species, and in the absence of expensive DNA testing to identify authenticity of pure corns, without obvious visual and/or genetic distinctions, identification of legitimately pure (or impure) corns is difficult at this time, if not completely impossible.

Other than appearance, the primary (and inherent) value of Ultra Type Corns (Ultras and Ultramels and their color and pattern compounds) is their mode of genetic inheritance.  Since they are co-dominant to Amelanistics, pairing any Ultra Type to ANY Amel corn (or Het thereof) will render Ultra types in the F1 (first) generation of out-crossing to non-Ultra type corns.  The results of pairing an Ultra-type with a non-Amel corn (or Het thereof) will render Mendelian results that parallel recessively-inherited mutations; no Ultra-types will result and all progeny will be Het for Ultra when bred to non-Amels.

Go to History or more details about the DIFFUSED / BLOODRED base mutation of this compound morph.

Important Note:
The advertising images on our web site are representations of the average adult example of each morph.  These images are not renderings of the actual animals being offered, (except for uniquely offered snakes found in the SURPLUS section of this web site).  We do not provide pictures of individual hatchling snakes for sale, nor do we recommend that you ever choose a new pet based on an image of its neonatal form.  Corns change so dramatically from hatchling to adult, they will NEVER have the same colors or contrasts throughout maturity. While most of the snakes we produce will mature to resemble the featured adult image(s) on our web site, unlike manufactured products that are respectively clones of each other, the nature of polygenic variation results in each animal being similar but not identical to others of its morph. The snake we select for you may not mature to be identical to the pictured examples, but will be chosen based on our experience of observing which neonates will mature to properly represent their respective morph.  We take this responsibility very seriously, and therefore publish the guarantee that we will exchange your SMR snake if it does not mature to be like our advertised examples.

2011 SnowHiwhite 05-25-12

Forgetting how he looks, this is actually a snow version of the High White Reverse Okeetee. Hence, if you breed this to a High White Reverse Okeetee that is not het for Anery (therefore, SNOW), you will get 100% High White Reverse Okeetee progeny. If the High White you breed him to is het for Anery, you’ll get some High White Snows and some High Whites. He’s currently 27″ long and eating frozen/thawed fuzzy to small hopper mice. He should easily be breeding size in 2013.