Patternless Genetic Question

I have read in a recent post that someone referred to the "kinked tails" in patternless gecko as a genetic "problem".

The reason why I am asking is that I have bred my Patternless male to my Normal female, 2 of the babies has got kinks in the tail at the end (same clutch), and from her second clutch, only one hatched and the tail is perfect.

I can not find any sites that refer to this "problem"

Thanks

paul

I believe that kinked tails in Patternless are a genetic defect, and although this may sound cruel, geckos that produce offspring with kinked tails should not be allowed to breed at all, nor should the offspring. As a breeder, I feel I have an ethical responsibility to produce the finest quality leos, and have worked very hard for many years to completely eliminate kinked tails from my stock... as have many other breeders. These geckos can just be beloved little pets instead!

Do you think that the kink tails seen in some lines are an effect of inbreeding, or could there be another explanation? Could it have shown up in one of the earlier patties who then bred the trait into other lines? Obviously it is a defect, but I wonder where it came from. Thanks in advance for the reply.

-Jacqueline Fisher
StormGecko

Jackie, I wish I had the answers for your questions. There is a lot of speculation in regard to the origin of the 'kinked tail', but most seem to lean towards the inbreeding theory. Since I do not line breed, nor do I wish to do any studies on breeding genetic kinked tails, I cannot say anything except I know it is genetic. More males than females have this trait, but it tends to be passed on by the female/mother in my experience.

Very interesting. It would make a fascinating genetics experiment but as you said, I certainly would not want to be the one doing the research. I suppose it shall remain a mystery for now! Thanks!

-Jacqueline Fisher
StormGecko

What is quite strange is that 2 out of the 3 gecko seems to be affected. Would the one that is not affected be fit for breeding? His coloration is also a lot nicer than the first two.

Thanks

paul

Would the one that is not affected be fit for breeding?

Good question, Paul. Personally, I would not allow any of the offspring to breed because I have seen kinked tails come from parents that did not display this defect. It was always from a particular female, and not all offspring were affected. Also, if you notice... you will usually see kinked tails in males but rarely females.

I have a very strong suspicion that this problem is similar to the genetics of male baldness. The gene is passed from a bald father to his daughter, and then her sons will have an extremely high chance of being bald. Again, this is only my professional opinion based on experience.

I was wondering- does this problem ever show up with a cross between a patternless and another morph?
Sandy

Sandy, yes... I have seen this defect in PA crosses, too.

Quote: " I have a very strong suspicion that this problem is similar to the genetics of male baldness. The gene is passed from a bald father to his daughter, and then her sons will have an extremely high chance of being bald."

I'm a bit confuse here, wouldn't this mean that it is temperature dependent since leopard gecko sex is determined by temperature and not genes?

-Alice