Missing morphs 1: Enchi + any 8 ball gene, Albino Fire

[TessadasExotics]

Kurt, you are confusing your terminology which in turn is confusing you.

Gene complexes have nothing to do with the number of chromosomes. Theoretically it is entirely possible for the mutations that gives rise to every known morph to all be located on a single chromosome (and, no, I do not honestly believe that is the case but that does not change the fact that it is possible.) You point out that there are 18 chromosome pairs in ball pythons as if that means something about the number of morph alleles that are possible and how they have to group. The number of chromosomes means very little when it comes to the number of genes in the animal total and how they are grouped. The genes for BluEL and BlkEL could be on the same chromosome or different chromosomes and you would never know without a molecular level investigation.

Gene complexes are just groups of genes that are all alleles of one another. All alleles have to sit at the same locus on the chromosome but beyond that there is no real affiliation with other genes on the same or other chromosomes, unless you are looking at linkage and linkage only matters when dealing with two very proximal genes



Also, there are more than just six gene groups. I can think of at least a dozen.

If only everyone else could understand this. There can be many more than 2 alleles at a locus and one locus can affect another locus or even attach to it. There are so many different combinations and possibilities that can occur.