Morphs

Corn snake morphs

With many generations of selective breeding, domesticated corn snakes are found in a wide variety of different colours and patterns, these are known as morphs. It is the result of recombining the dominant and recessive genes that code for proteins involved in chromatophore development, maintenance, or function, providing a change in appearance or characteristics. New variations, or morphs, become available every year as breeders gain a better understanding of the genetics involved. This article helps to illustrate the extent and genetics of the known morphs.

Genotype key

-⁺ = wild type
a^a = amelanistic
a^u = ultra
an^a = anerythristic
ca^c = caramel
ch^c = charcoal
ci^c = cinder
D^d = diffused
dt^d = dilute
h^h = hypo
p^p = pied
h^s = strawberry
k^k = kastanie
l^l = lavender
m^m = motley
m^s = stripe
s^s = sunkissed
v^v = lava

Wild type corn snakes

To produce wild type corns of a certain locality (e.g. miami), you would have to breed a miami with another miami. This type of selective breeding is neccessary because all the wild types carry the same genotype (-⁺-⁺), therefore it is impossible to be het for any of the wild types.

Single trait corn snakes

Double trait corn snakes

Triple trait corn snakes

Quadruple trait corn snakes

Line bred corn snakes

Line bred corn snake morphs do not have particular individual genetics determining a characteristic and instead, two snakes with a desirable characteristic are bred together in the hope that one or more of the offspring will carry on this character in splendour. This continues through many generations in an attempt to amplify the selected characteristic.

Hybrids

Corn snake hybrids are born when a corn snake is bred with another closely related species. Typically this produces infertile snakes.

The Corn Snake