Species
Ball Python
Name of Gene
What
First produced by
Tim Bailey
Year first produced
2011
Inheritence type
Incomplete Dominant
In complex with other genes?
No
Other names/aliases
None
General description
WHAT modifies both pattern and color. The What mutation produces exaggerated flaming along with deeper blacks and more contrast. It also weirds out the pattern and in combos it often adds blushing and space around the oddly shaped alien heads.
Appearance - Head
Head is plain and dark. No pattern to the head stamp. Head stamps are introduced by other mutations Eye stripes are similar to that of the enchi eye stripe. They are long and often hook down at the back.
Appearance - Body
WHAT modifies both pattern and color. The What mutation produces exaggerated flaming along with deeper blacks and more contrast. It also weirds out the pattern, especially along the dorsal stripe which often includes hook shaped patterns, and in combos it often adds blushing and space around the oddly shaped alien heads.
Appearance - Belly
Not that different from a normal ball python.
Appearance - Tail
The tail finishes off in a single dorsal stripe with small alien heads on each side following the same coloration of the body.
Proven lines
None.
Related genes
None known.
Proven
Tim and a few other breeders have proven this mutation through breeding, super whats have been produced, and there have been combinations made with yellow belly, vanilla, pastel, lesser, and other mutations.
Unique
There doesn’t seem to be any other mutation that has the same effect on coloration, pattern, and flaming between the alien heads.
Problems
No.
History
Tim Bailey bought the original animal at a show because he looked a little weird and he was able to pick him out of a large group normal ball pythons from about 15 feet away. He got him in 2009 and produced the first What offspring in 2011. The first homozygous animal was produced in 2015.
Disagreement or controversy
None known.
References
Animals that have been sold on MM:
https://www.morphmarket.com/all/c/reptiles/pythons/ball-pythons?state=any&search=what
