FaunaClassifieds - View Single Post - Sub sahara ball python
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Old 03-29-2013, 11:14 PM   #54
Kingofspades
Quote:
Originally Posted by RobNJ View Post
"Sub-Saharan"()...and I've also seen these BIG gene girls labeled Voltas, from a specific locale. While size is hereditary, thinking of this as a new gene is kind of ridiculous in my opinion. Logical thinking would lead me to believe...

1) These HUGE girls are older.

2) If they are in fact being collected from a specific locale, the possibility of it being an area that for whatever reason lacks in more formidable predators is a very real one. I would imagine that whatever is preying on ball pythons is very likely also preying on what ball pythons eat, which would, as expected, lead to higher populations of prey items for the ball pythons to eat. I'd compare it to a less stressful environment promoting maximum growth...along the lines of Kodiak bears and Komodo dragons. Sure we would still see giant examples of either, but not nearly as many and as consistently if they were to live in a more competitive environment.
But at the same time, if it is an isolated population that can get to maximum growth, and they are only breeding with each other, over time that "maximum size" would be programmed into their DNA.
Heck, apparently personality is genetic, why not size?
I read about how they tamed the first Green Anacondas. They bred the most tame they could find, and held back the most tame babies. They raised them up and bred them and got even tamer babies. If sometime as simple as personality of the animal could be genetic, why not size...ESPECIALLY in an isolated population?