Blacknecks Are Different

[chris-uk]

Speaking of different, Kris Haas found this cyrtopsis at the bottom of an empty swimming pool in Mexico. Hypomel/albino? First that I've seen or heard of. Nice!

Can someone explain to me how this would be considered hypomelanistic or albino? Isn't the definition of albino an absence of melanin (i.e. no black or amelanistic), and hypomelanistic would have reduced expression of melanin (less black than normal)?

I'm looking at this and seeing black, but it doesn't have the bright yellows of a normal. In my eyes it's hypoxanthic or axanthic.

As I say, that's what I would have considered it, I think this snake looks like a bleached our version of the normal, and I tend to switch off when it comes to morphs. But in this case my interest was peeked by the description of it as an albino.

[ConcinusMan]

Can someone explain to me how this would be considered hypomelanistic

I consider it to be hypomelanistic. Whether it be amelanistic or hyopmelanistic it wouldn't necessarily be incorrect to call it an albino. It appears to have reduced melanin, not to mention, pink / red eyes. Any other pigments that may or may not be affected is irrelevant.

Isn't the definition of albino an absence of melanin (i.e. no black or amelanistic),

The definition of amelanistic does mean a complete lack of melanin. However, "albino" doesn't necessarily.

and hypomelanistic would have reduced expression of melanin (less black than normal)?

Correct. It might be helpful to think of it as intermediate between normal and amelanistic.

it doesn't have the bright yellows of a normal. In my eyes it's hypoxanthic or axanthic.

Yes I noticed that too and you could be right but we don't really know whats going on here on a molecular level. It is quite plausible for a mutated allele or pair of alleles on a loci to have an affect on more than one type of pigment or pigment precursor simultaneously. Also, I think this is a western ssp. They vary quite a bit and don't necessarily have "bright yellows" as a normal. Even if it is as you say, hypoaxanthic or axanthic that doesn't change the fact that it is also hypomelanistic. It very well might have all pigments reduced.

Simply having a lack of normal pigment production, one could call it albino. It doesn't necessarily have to be completely amelanistic to be called an albino. Make sense? In fact, another laymans term for melanistic is "black albino"