Copper genetics?

[Margie]

Here's a batch of juveniles from a cross between a copper and a wild het copper. I'm thinking the lighter ones are leucistic coppers. Any thoughts on other possibilities?

 

[auntiejude]

Copper is a distinct genetic trait - a simple recessive the same as albino etc.

What you have there is a mixture of coppers and wildtypes - about 50/50.

 

[Margie]

Copper is a distinct genetic trait - a simple recessive the same as albino etc.

What you have there is a mixture of coppers and wildtypes - about 50/50.

Leucism can be present in combination with any color, including copper. Which is why I'm thinking these might be leucistic coppers.

 

[auntiejude]

Do you know for certain that there are leucisitc genes in both parents?
If they did you would see at least some white leucistics, so unless you have some other colours I doubt you have copper leucies (which TBH look pretty much the same as regular leucies).

 

[Margie]

Do you know for certain that there are leucisitc genes in both parents?
If they did you would see at least some white leucistics, so unless you have some other colours I doubt you have copper leucies (which TBH look pretty much the same as regular leucies).

Yes, there were "white" leucistics in this batch, as well as normal looking wilds.

 

[NaterPotater]

Leucism tends to cancel out other coloration, like a less extreme version of albinism. You could definitely have a light-colored copper, just like you can have light or dark colored wild types. I don't think you can truly have a leucistic copper though because leucism blocks the dark pigment from spreading throughout the body. You can't have a "leucistic wild type." You can have an axolotl that is leucistic and wild type for all the other coloration genes, but it can't be white and non-white at the same time. The only way leucism can go hand-in-hand with another coloration is if the other morphology doesn't make the axolotl non-white. It can be leucistic and albino, or leucistic and melanoid since melanism only technically affects the shiny iridophores, but there aren't really a whole lot of other combinations with leucism (at least not very often).

 

[LSuzuki]

Leucistic coppers have lighter colored freckles. So, yes, leucistic copper is a thing.

 

[LoriML]

Pretty cool, whatever they are

 

[Margie]

Both the lighter and darker versions in the photo have a reddish pupil in the eye. Another reason why I think they're all coppers.

Does anyone know if the hypomelanism gene occurs in axolotls? If so, maybe the lighter ones are hypo coppers.

 

[LoriML]

I just realized I commented on this post about copper leucistics, and come to find out I had 3 in my last clutch also. Mine are leucistic in body, no freckles at all, ring around the eyes, with red pupil. Perhaps these are more common than I previously thought.