Lightning Pied

[Slowcountry Balls]

I don't have any Axanthic Pieds (though I would love to own one), so this issue doesn't have a direct impact on me right now. But as I see it, part of the problem here is our hobby's incorrect use of genetic terms. The term "line" should refer to a specific subset of a single gene. Lines are compatible. Lesser/Butter and Mystic/Phantom are the best example of this that I can think of. Jolliff Axanthix, VPI Axanthic, The Snake Keeper Axanthix, Black Axanthic, and Markus Jayne Axanthic are all different genes that have the same affect on the skin pigmentation of a Ball Python. These genes are not actually different lines of the same gene. A combination is two (or more) specific genes. With that in mind, a VPI Axanthic Pied is technically a different combination from a Jollif Axanthic Pied and so forth.

We recognize that Asphalt, Specter, Gravel, and Yellowbelly are all very similar in their appearance, but actually different, unique genes. A Super Stripe is a Yellowbelly Specter and looks almost exactly like an Asphalt Specter. Should we also name an Asphalt Specter a Super Stripe? How would you feel if you bought a "Super Stripe" thinking it was an Asphalt Specter, but ended up being a Yellowbelly Specter? I know my example may not be the best, since Asphalt, Specter, Gravel, and Yellowbelly are all part of a complex and compatible, and that the different Axanthic genes are not, but it was the only example that I could think of.