Caramel Albino Question

[MasonC2K]

Can someone tell me why this morph is named this way when it is clearly NOT an Albino? Neither does in interact with other Albino genes.

Thanks.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

It is an Albino, T + albino (Tyrosinase +) whereas a regular Albino is T- Albino (Tyrosinase - )

[satomi325]

They are still albinos. Just different type of albinism.

The normal white and yellow albinos are Tyrosinase Negative (T-). The caramels are Tyrosinase Positive (T+).
The Tyrosinase enzyme is still functional in Caramels, which gives it that color, where as normal albinos lack that enzyme.

Edit: Deborah beat me!

[MasonC2K]

I still don't understand. How is it qualified as an Albino. For any species, an albino has to have a congenital absence of pigment in the skin and hair (if applicable; which are white) and the eyes (typically pink).

All the images of Caramel Albinos clearly have pigment and clearly have black eyes. So to me, it's clearly not Albino.

[Diamond Serpents]

I still don't understand. How is it qualified as an Albino. For any species, an albino has to have a congenital absence of pigment in the skin and hair (if applicable; which are white) and the eyes (typically pink).

All the images of Caramel Albinos clearly have pigment and clearly have black eyes. So to me, it's clearly not Albino.

Deborah and Satomi are correct with T+ and T-. Albinoism can vary in different ways in - and + in different species.

Take humans for example I had a albino friend growing up, his name was Randy. Any how Randy was pale white of course, the lightest blonde hair you could imagine and the lightest blue eyes possible.

This is the same thing with albino lions, they're pitch white with sky blue eyes. The typical red eye white skin thing is what is commonly looked at. Again it just veries from species and what type of albino gene is being carried.

There is different shades of yellows, red, and blues just like there is with albinos.

[Snake Den]

The way I was taught in vet school is that an albino animal/human is one that is incapable of producing pigment. Now, in the reptile world, we have become accustomed to calling a white and yellow snake an albino. In fact it is not a TRUE albino as defined by lack of pigment. Animals have two different types of pigments that can be expressed at varying levels. The yellow/red pigments are known as pheomelanin, and the brown/black pigments are eumelanin. In the classic albino snake, what you have going on is actually a lack of the eumelanin... therefor the really should be called aeumelanistic rather than albino. What everyone said in the comments above about the tyrosinase is true, and will affect the color of the snake. Basically what I am saying is that the reptile/zoo world has been slack about terminology and so albino snakes are really not true albinos, but do lack certain pigments depending on the type of morph. A true albino snake would be pure white with pink eyes Hope this helps and makes sense!

[satomi325]

I still don't understand. How is it qualified as an Albino. For any species, an albino has to have a congenital absence of pigment in the skin and hair (if applicable; which are white) and the eyes (typically pink).

All the images of Caramel Albinos clearly have pigment and clearly have black eyes. So to me, it's clearly not Albino.

They can produce the melenin not found in regular albinos and actually have dark red eyes.

And some albino dogs will actually be white with blue eyes. Like the lion example mentioned previously. Not all albinos have red eyes.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[T&C Exotics]

Definition of ALBINO

: an organism exhibiting deficient pigmentation; especially : a human being that is congenitally deficient in pigment and usually has a milky or translucent skin, white or colorless hair, and eyes with pink or blue iris and deep-red pupil

source websters dictionary.

By that definition it is not lacking all pigment it is deficient in pigment. All albino strains, caramel, regular, lav, and all others are deficient in certain pigment with red eyes. Pretty sure that clears it up.

[Pythonfriend]

i would just call them caramel, problem solved.

many people simply call the gene caramel, and now when people say "caramel albino" other people might get confused and wonder: is it just a caramel, or a double-recessive caramel + albino?

[MasonC2K]

Thanks guys. I understand the technicalities of it. It's just I have certain expectation of what an Albino should look like and I just don't see it when I look at the Caramel.