Breeding Bee combos?

[GitaBooks]

I thought it would be interesting to add some information as to why neurological problems might be linked with Spider genes. You see, in other species, neurological problems can be linked to coloration as well. And what coloration is most often affected? White. Now, the link you posted said that Super Spiders are leus, which means that they too are white.
White is also lethal in other vertebrate species, or leads to abnormalities and defects. For a while problems with Leu Black Rat Snakes and bug-eyes was known as were issues with albino x albino Boa Constrictors. Enigma Leopard Geckos have neurological conditions along with their patterning.

The reason for the neurological effect in animals with lessened melanin is this:
Melanin is very important in helping animals in a variety of ways: it helps them regulate UV light from the sun, to thermoregulation, and in some species is linked with better immune system functions (such as in wild populations of big cats).
Melanin helps to protect animal's eyes from bright light and to help reflect the sun light away from the eye.
Melanin helps to absorb the warmth of the sun and so can assist in thermoregulation.

In Vertebrates, melanin is synthesized from the amino-acid tyrosine in vesicular organelles (melanosomes) of neural-crest derived cells called melanophores (or melanocytes). These interact with the endocrine, immune and nervous system.
For this reason, melanin is linked with many of the highly important functions of the brain and body and without its production or when its production is altered it can lead to more then a simple change in skin, fur, feather, scale, or eye color. It can also lead to changes in behavior and health.

For example, without melanin in the skin, thermoregulation, UV filtering and cancer protection is cut down, which can lead to issues in creatures that spend time in the sunlight. Wild animals also are prone to predation, but as pets this is not a problem.
Without melanin in the eyes then the retinofugal optic fibers are misrouted and can lead to crossed eyes (as seen in Siamese cats). Any bright lighting leads to sensitivity and pain and visual acuity is decreased due to light scattering with-in the eye. Sight is also reduced due to foveal hypoplasia and possible light-induced retinal damage.
Nystagmus (irregular rapid movement of the eye) can be seen in albinos, Amblyopia (trouble seeing because of poor transmission to the brain), and optic nerve hypoplasia (underdevelopment of the optic nerve).

Melanocytes are found in the central nervous system, including areas of the brain responisble for mood and responses to stress. Albino or white animals often have behaviors changes with coloration changes. Small amounts of white are linked to calmer, tamer species (which is why many animals selected for tame behavior will often developed piebalding with-in only a few generations). However, large amounts of white (as soon in some pinto horses and dalmatian dogs) is linked with stress, nervousness and aggression.
Melanocytes are found in the inner ear and impaired migration of these melanocyes can lead to deafness in many white animals in one or both ears (to varying degrees). Blue-eyed White Cats, white-faced ferrets (silvers, black-eyed whites, pandas, ect), many pied dogs (including dalmations) all have a risk of being born deaf.
There is also a risk of abnormalities in the skull and body shape its self, as seen in wardy ferrets (those suffering from waardenburgs syndrome). Wardy ferrets often have issues with sight, hearing, balance and coordination, and may even be mentally retarded.
Some forms of white can also be lethal (known as Lethal White). While it isn't technically deadly, when two merle dogs are bred together their puppies are often blind and deaf and many breeders will put them down at birth. This is called Double Merle.
Lethal White foals will usually die soon after birth and are produced in Pinto horses when a foal has too much white on them.
Lethal forms of spotting are seen in Gerbils, Mice, Rats, Dwarf Hamsters, and Syrian Hamsters and if two copies of said gene are put together then the babies are likely to die or be born without eyes.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love white animals and all the color variations. Its awesome. I've just been doing a lot of research on which color varieties are linked with health problems and which aren't, so I can select an animal that I know will live without complications. I tried to avoid wardy ferrets, but because the breeders and sellers don't tell you the truth I ended up with two. Both were far more susceptible to cancer and we had both for under a year before loosing them. The two that didn't have wardys were far healthier and didn't show signs of cancer, malformed skull, coordination and muscle problems, ect.

I hope this helps explain some things.