Xenopus laevis genetics?

[KittyKatMe]

Is there any info out there on the color genes of xenopus laevis? I ask this because it seems that everyone considers reticulated albinos different from regular albinos when there is just as much reticulation on some wild types and they aren't considered a distinct color. It also seems that a lot of the albino hets have lighter coloration. Lastly, are piebalds really just albino/wild type chimeras? It would seem so because they do not breed true and half have deformities that point to the fusion of two embryos. Also, I have yet to see any true leucistics- most I have seen photos of are just albinos under certain light to make their eyes appear blue.

I just got my first two xenopus- one WT and one albino- in the mail today and am ecstatic! They are so cute!

[tgampper]

Interesting topic. I know that there is a considerable amount of information on the Internet about Xenopus genetics, but haven't found very much about color genes. I found a couple of articles on creating a mutant strain of ACF. I've been studying ACFs for 30 years and have several textbooks and articles about these interesting frogs. I have kept Xenopus laevis, X. tropicalis and X. borealis, which is the most beautiful, natural color species, in my opinion.

[KittyKatMe]

Update: I spoke to someone from Xenopus Express and they told me that reticulated, golden, and "leucistic" are just variations of albino. Piebalds "occur sporadically and are usually males with a deformity", which makes me believe that they are indeed chimeras. Probably not something you'd want to breed- I think I'll stick to wild type and (the many shades of) albino.