What makes my sons ghost a ghost?

[Seanjackmc]

My son has the below snake and I've been trying to explain to him what makes it a ghost. Problem is I have no idea. Are there visual clues? Thanks for helping.



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[Rob]

The faded "ghostly" look. See how it appears to always be going into shed, and that blushed out head? Spoooooooky!

[Mrl249]

The faded "ghostly" look. See how it appears to always be going into shed, and that blushed out head? Spoooooooky!

X2
Ghost to me pretty much always look like they are about to shed

[West Coast Jungle]

This should explain the ghost traits.
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-Morphs-Ghosts

[MrLang]

There's no pigment in the outer layer of skin. It only exists a layer down, so it gives it a 'glow' effect.

[Annarose15]

There are no true black pigments on a ghost, which is why the morph's "real" name is hypomelanistic.

[Seanjackmc]

Thanks for the help everyone, I appreciate it.

[Mike41793]

What line of ghost is that? I love how gray it is. Looks completely different from my OG girl.

[MarkS]

There are no true black pigments on a ghost, which is why the morph's "real" name is hypomelanistic.

This exactly. Hypomelanistic = a reduced amount of melanin which is what makes up the black pigment.

That picture looks a lot like one of my butterscotch ghosts.

[sorraia]

Looks like a good enough place to ask this question...

I understand the hypo-melanistic part, reduced amounts of black pigment, no problem there.
But does this mean the yellow pigments are unaffected? Just want to make sure I understand that correctly.