Reptile Morph & Gene Library — Inheritance, Zygosities and Descriptions

Example: Scaleless-Head Ball Python One copy (heterozygous): The snake has a reduced number of scales, particularly on the head. Two copies (homozygous, "Super Scaleless-Head"): The snake is completely scaleless. This means Scaleless-Head is an incomplete dominant (co-dominant) gene, where the super form is fully scaleless.

Co-Dominant: One copy is visibly expressed. Two copies produce a distinct "super" form, which differs from gene to gene — see the individual gene for what its super looks like.

Example: Scaleless Corn Snakes Requires two copies of the Scaleless gene to be completely scaleless. If a snake inherits only one copy, it looks normal but carries the Scaleless gene (heterozygous or "het Scaleless").

Recessive: Requires two copies to express

Reduction/loss of scales

Recessive: Requires two copies to express