Leopard Gecko "Morphs"


Note: This guide is  intended to be an explanation of the basic morphs and genetics behind Leopard Geckos.

This is not intended to be a "Tell All" list.


Albino - There are currently 3 known strains of Albino in Leopard Geckos. You should NEVER cross strains of Albino!

 

Tremper Albino - Tremper Albino Leopard Geckos were discovered by Ron Tremper. The best way to identify a Tremper Albino is by coloration. A Tremper albino will have a lighter color including yellows, hints of Orange and white. Another way to tell is by their light silver red veined eyes.

 

Rainwater Albino - Rainwater leopard geckos were discovered by Tim Rainwater. Identifying markers are a Pinkish Body color and have the darkest eyes of all three forms of Albino

 

Bell Albino - The Bell Albino was discovered by Mark Bell. The best way to differentiate a Bell Albino is by its eyes. The Bell Albino has light Pink Eyes.

 

R.A.P.T.O.R - Is an acronym for Red eyed Albino Patternless Tremper ORange (Tremper Eclipse)

 

A.P.T.O.R - Albino Patternless Tremper ORange

 

Eclipse - Solid Black Eyes

 

Snake Eyes - Is partial pigment in one or both eyes.

 

Abyssinian - Does not have eye pigment

 

Marble Eye - A new recessive eye mutation in leopard geckos that give the geckos eye a three dimensional look.  Initially found in the Tremper Albino Sunglow. Marble eyes should never be bred to Eclipse or Het for Eclipse

 

Murphy Patternless - Produced by Pat Murphy in 1991, the Murphy Patternless is a Leopard Gecko which lacks all pattern. 

 

Blizzard - Discovered by Jay Villa in 1995 the Blizzard morph acts like a Murphy's patternless. Blizzard is a simple recessive. Blizzards are patternless and range in color from purple to yellow to white.

 

Giant & Super Giant - Discovered by Ron Tremper in 2001. The Giant and Super Giant trait is a co- dominant morph. There are three different forms of the trait: Normal, Giant, and Super Giant. A normal does not carry the Giant trait. Giant's carry one copy of the trait, and are heterozygous for Super Giant. Super Giants are homozygous for the trait.

 

Enigma - An Enigma is a Leopard Gecko which is a dominant morph. There are a few common traits which all Enigmas have, their spots tend to be blotchy rather than banded. When looking at their tails, their tails are usually all white.  With age spotting turns to speckling.

NEVER Breed an Enigma to an Enigma!

 

White & Yellow - White and Yellow is a dominant morph. White and Yellow hatchlings display very similar traits to Hypos or Super Hypo hatchlings. White and Yellows currently display vary little carrot tail. As adults they look similar to the Enigmas.

 

 

Gem Snow - Gem Snows are one of the four different kinds of Snows. They were originally created by Jim Holler of Reptilian Gems. They hatch out displaying a white body and black bands but as they get older the bands break up. Gem Snows do not have a Super form but when bred to a Mack Snow you can produce a Super Snow.

 

TUG Snow - The Urban Gecko Snow was created by Craig Stewart from The Urban Gecko. TUG Snows come originated from a selectively bred Wild Caught group. Stewart believes Tug Snows are axanthic, a genetic trait where there is little to no yellow. "TUG" Snows are also a dominate trait, and do not have a Super form. However when bred to a Mack Snow you can produce a Super Snow


Line Bred Snow - Line Bred Snows are snows that are line bred with a focus on white and black pigment. There are 3 forms of Linebred Snows. Line Bred Snows are graded on a A-C scale.  A is a pure white and black gecko. B-C geckos display some yellow pigment. A Super form cannot be produced by breeding two line bred snows. There is a small chance however to produce a Super if bred to a Mack Snow. However Albey's line of Line bred Snows do produce Super a Super form.

 

Ghost - A Dominant Trait.

 

Mack Snow - Mack Snows were first produced by John and Amy Mack from Reptiles by Mack.

 

Hypo/Hypo Melanistic - Lacking most black pigment on the back. 

 

Super Hypo - Lacking all black pigment on back. 

 

Ray Hines Hypo - A possible dominant hypo gene

 

Carrot Tail - Orange coloration on tail

 

Baldy- Patternless head


Carrot Head - A Patterned Orange head

 

SHTCTB - Super Hypo Tangerine Carrot Tail Baldy 

 

Tangerine - Orange Color 

 

Pacific Green - A Line produced by Kyle Golinveaux 

 

Sykes Emerine - A line Bred Tangerine that displays an emerald coloration. the Sykes Emerine is Produced by Steve Sykes

 

G Project - Line bred tangerine produced by Matt Baronak

 

Clown G - Line Bred G Projects X Electrics

 

Green & Tangerine - Ultimate Geckos Line of Blood Emerine

 

Lavender - Line bred high-lavender gecko. 

 

Lavender Bell - Produced by Paul Allen

 

Striped - Any striped animal usually traveling the length of the body.

 

Rainbow Stripe - Originally bred by A&M gecko's line and produced by breeding of striped and reverse striped leopard geckos. They are characterized by their orange and green coloration. They are the foundation to many other projects such as the  g project, Rainbow/Bandits and Sykes Rainbow

 

Jungle - Irregular Jungle pattern on back


Red Stripe - Highlighted dorsal stripes on both sides


Reverse Stripe - Single Dorsal stripe usually associated with the Eclipse Gene


Patternless Stripe - Patternless / reverse striping usually in conjunction with the Eclipse gene. 

 

Bold - Very pronounced bold markings


Bold Stripe - Bold or extremely dark stripe

 

Bandit Halloween Mask - Halloween Masks were first created in the late 90's by Albey Scholl of Albey's Too Cool Reptiles after working with an unusual looking leopard gecko. After years of line breeding he proving out the head pattern traits, the project was later turned over to Paul Allen of Bright Albino.

 

Hyper Xanthic - A project by JMG reptiles, easily distinguishable because of their extremely bright body and high contrast body.


Pastel - Developed by Ron Tremper originally form his Blue Belly Project. 


Black Pearl - The Best examples of the animals seem to be Murphy's Patternless but the Genetics are still unclear.


Black Night - Hyper Melanistic line by Ferry Zuurmond form the Netherlands. 

 

Sunglow - Albino Super Hypo Tangerine

 

Tangerine Albino - Any possible Albino Tangerine combo

 

Hybino - Albino Hypo Tangerine

Tangelo - A line of Tremper Tangerine Albinos


Sunrise - Albino Tangerine Blizzard


Sunset - Tangerine Blizzard

 

Raining Red Stripe - Red Stripe Rainwaters (Albino) from Jeremy Letkey lines. 

 

Rainwater Sunglow - Rainwater Albino X Super Hypo Tangerine from Dan Lubinsky AKA Hot Gecko line.

 

Lavender Bell - Lavender X Bell Albino from Paul Allen line


Diorite - Super Snow bred for Speckling

 

BEE - An Acronym For Black Eyed Enigma


Black Hole - Mack Snow Eclipse Enigma


Total Eclipse  -  Super Snow  Eclipse


Universe - WY Super Snow Eclipse


Creamsicle - Snow Tangerine

 

Banana Blizzard - Blizzard Murphy's Patternless


Super Platinum - Mack Super Snow Murphy Patternless

 

Ember - Murphy's Patternless -Tremper- Eclipse


Snowflake  - Patternless-Tremper-Mack Snow


Blazing Blizzard - Albino-Blizzard

 

Diablo Blanco - Tremper-Eclipse-Blizzard

 

Nova - Tremper-Eclipse-Enigma


Super Nova - Enigma-Mack Super Snow-Tremper-Eclipse


Dreamsickle - Mack Snow-Enigma-Tremper-Eclipse

 

Stealth - Snow-Enigma-Radar

 

Radar - Bell Eclipse


Super Stealth Stealth - Super Snow Radar Enigma

 

Cyclone - Patternless-Las Vegas-Eclipse

 

White Knight - Bell Blazing Blizzard

 

Typhoon - Patternless Las Vegas Eclipse


Wild Type - leopard geckos are also known as "Normal".