Ball Python Genetics - Species

[bigsnakegirl785]

So, I'm wanting to do a genetics paper for my Biology class on ball pythons. I'm finding plenty of information on morphs for my paper, but not as much on genetics on the species as a whole. I've been able to deduce that there are 36 chromosomes in a healthy individual, with 18 pairs. I still need to know what "reproductive isolating mechanism" that keeps male and female ball pythons from wasting their gametes. I would like some links to use in my citation, so a website that uses references for their information, or an actual article by a scientist(s) would be great. If not, are there any books on genetics that will give me this information? So far, only that information is lacking from my research, as morph genetics will take up a large part of the paper.

[Aaron_S]

Tough to find considering nobody cares beyond pretty colours...

You'll have to find a geneticist to help. Call universities in your area.

[Starbuck]

Here is a website I found for some basic definitions of reproductive isolation mechanisms:
Reproductive Isolation (http://www.bio.miami.edu/dana/dox/reproductive_isolation.html)

Based in those definitions you may have a pretty tough and interesting answer. Ball pythons are certainly isolated geographically from many other species of pythons (including womas, burmese pythons, etc. HOWEVER they are not biologically incompatible with these species, as fertile hybrids can be produced. Most snakes have 36 chromosomes, part of the reason they have fertile hybrids. Again, they are not morphologically incompatible (although in extremes such as burme ses artificial insemination maybbe needed...). They MAY be bahviorally isolated, but I am not familiar with ball python courting behavior so you will have to look into that. Imbnot sure the acope of your paper, butnit aoumda like a really cool project and I hope you're able to write about it and learn some neat things :-)

[Starbuck]

Am typing on my phone, apologize for the typos

[bigsnakegirl785]

It's all right. This is for my college research paper, so scholarly level is what I'm looking for. Basically all I'm looking for is information on chromosomes, and the isolation. The rest are any genetics-related information I can find to make a 1,200 word paper.

I'll give some universities a try, Aaron. Never thought of that, thanks!

[bigsnakegirl785]

I may have figured this one out. After looking at the link you provided, Starbuck, I looked up the ranges of African python species. I couldn't find any other species other than the ones I already knew about: African rock python, Angolan python, and (of course) the ball python. Afrocks are found throughout the ball python's range, with Angolan pythons being find in a different part, so I looked up their breeding seasons. Ball pythons breed during the rainy season in the winter (November-December), and Afrocks breed in the spring (September-November). So, I'm guessing the isolation mechanism would be temporal isolation.

[Starbuck]

heh heh i imagine size might contribute as well (maybe a pyhton breeder can comment on how they get these burm ball etc hybrids?), But seasonality would certainly help.
good luck with the rest of your paper!

[bigsnakegirl785]

Thanks! There's quite a bit to write about, so I should be able to get enough info. :)

[bigsnakegirl785]

So, anybody know HOW breeders breed hybrids? I don't need to know in-depth, but I would like to use this in my paper if I can. I read somewhere (don't remember where, and I couldn't find it again) that the male is put in with a female of the same species until he's ready, and they quickly switch him into the enclosure of the female. I'm not sure if this is how it's done, so I'd like some input from some breeders who have actually done it. I'm not looking to leak information on the breeding tactics, I just want a basic overview to kind of touch on it in the paper. Such as whether gender matters in the pairing, how to make coupling happen, and info on the F2 Super Balls. I also just need to have a breeder's name who has done it for citation purposes. I know it's kind short notice, but the paper's due tomorrow. I'm almost done with it, and I can probably find more information if I can't include this, it's just an interesting bit of info I'd like to have. I've been looking around for the past five days, and couldn't find anything other than what ball python hybrids are out there, and how much people hate them (other than that small snippet at the beginning of my post). Thanks in advance.

[Aaron_S]

So, anybody know HOW breeders breed hybrids? I don't need to know in-depth, but I would like to use this in my paper if I can. I read somewhere (don't remember where, and I couldn't find it again) that the male is put in with a female of the same species until he's ready, and they quickly switch him into the enclosure of the female. I'm not sure if this is how it's done, so I'd like some input from some breeders who have actually done it. I'm not looking to leak information on the breeding tactics, I just want a basic overview to kind of touch on it in the paper. Such as whether gender matters in the pairing, how to make coupling happen, and info on the F2 Super Balls. I also just need to have a breeder's name who has done it for citation purposes. I know it's kind short notice, but the paper's due tomorrow. I'm almost done with it, and I can probably find more information if I can't include this, it's just an interesting bit of info I'd like to have. I've been looking around for the past five days, and couldn't find anything other than what ball python hybrids are out there, and how much people hate them (other than that small snippet at the beginning of my post). Thanks in advance.

I know Bob Clark did the burm/retics first. Known as Bateaters. Contact him.
NERD has done a number of them with carpets,balls and such.
I believe roussis reptiles does as well with bloods/balls I think. I am least certain of these guys.

Quick google search should bring up phone numbers and hopefully you can contact them for more information. I'm sure they'll be happy to help.

Bob Clark's site usually has all the articles he's wrote or helped write for magazines so they might have one on Bateaters.