Quote Originally Posted by Freakie_frog View Post
While interesting this isn't the first time we have seen this in the Ball Python world. There are other traits that share a different Phenotype appearance but appear to fall on the same Locus. Examples of this are YB and spector, Leopard and pied, any of the BEL complex. This is however the first time two recessive traits have had such drastic phenotype differences and yet been compatible.

One thing I suspect is that Toffee's are simply a weaker form of Albino that as it ages gains the ability to produce melanin and thus getting the brownish tone to them. We see this already in some Hypos and axanthics where as they age the gene seems to weaken just enough to cause a slight change in appearance, or could hormonal production as they mature be responsible? I've seen spiders loose their color altogether and BEL get yellow stripes like an Ivory after hormones kick in.

Just food for thought.
If the alleles for leopard and pied fell on the same locus, it would be impossible to get leopard pieds. It is more likely that they are located in close proximity on the same chromosome if in fact the "all leopards are het pied" bit has some semblance of truth to it. However, I think this idea people have may only be due to the fact that leopard was tied into the pied project by Pete Kahl from the get-go. I would expect to start finding that the leopards that being produced from crossing the mutation into others aren't all het pied.