What distinguishes a Specter from a Normal?

I'm wondering as I was JUST introduced to the "superstripe." I've done a few quick searches and can't really find much info on Specters.

Do they have distinct markings that tell you it's a Specter?

They are VERY difficult to distinguish, especially in pictures.

Here are some pics of my female from another thread:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...7/IMG_1048.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...7/IMG_1046.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...7/IMG_1045.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...7/IMG_1044.jpg

Talking to Jeremy at Fire-Ball reptiles, it seems that the head spot, striped tail and overall color are what he sees to pick them out in a clutch. With that said, some folks also look at the belly. There seems to be some variability even in these markings. I would not buy a Specter from someone other than a trusted source, who is producing Super Stripes.

Do you mean the head spot as in that little tiny darker spot? Or the 2 lighter spots on either side of her head/neck area?

BTW thanks for the pics, also I am wondering because I have a normal that I *think* might be special. She has a little marking where he pattern starts, and the guy we got her from said it seems to be passed down to some of her offspring. We haven't had a clutch from her yet, though.

Maybe I'll put up an Is This A Morph thread.

And yeah I would assume they're hard to distinguish in photos if "overall coloration" is a huge factor, as 99% of the time I find it impossible to capture a snakes true colors on camera.

I mean the lighter stamp in the middle of the head around the dark spot.

If the snake was not sold as a Specter, it is VERY unlikely to be one. The best bet to prove it is to breed it to a Ivory.

But, they can be quite variable, as some folks have ones that look more YB, and some look pretty much Normal. Lineage is pretty key here.

Yeah I'm not trying to confirm she's a Specter, but if anyone thinks there's a possibility, maybe I'll keep my eyes peeled for somebody who would like to do a breeding loan with an Ivory or something.

Do you know which breeders are working with Spectors/have worked with them in the past?

Specters look 'kind of' but 'not quite' like a yellow belly. The whole reason the super stripes came about in the first place was from people breeding known yellow bellies to imported animals that looked 'almost' like a yellow belly. They thought they were trying to prove their wild caught animals to be het ivories and they turned out to be something else entirely.

Whttp://img.tapatalk.com/62c97e7b-efaa-0e20.jpg with the head spot though my snake I assume has one as well


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Here's her thread: My First "Is This a Morph??? Thread"

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DShaw

Whttp://img.tapatalk.com/62c97e7b-efaa-0e20.jpg with the head spot though my snake I assume has one as well


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Is this supposed to be a pic of your Specter, or are you saying that since your snake has a head spot you might have a Specter?

There are several morphs with a lightened head spot and it is just ONE of the features some use to pick out Specters.

If yours is a known Specter, some better pics would be great to add to the pool.