First record of albinism in the Taragüi Gecko Homonota taragui (Squamata: Phyllodactylidae)

COURTIS AZUL; CAJADE RODRIGO; PIÑEIRO J. M.; HERNANDO A.; MARANGONI F.

Herpetology Notes

Societas Europaea Herpetologica (SEH)

Año: 2015

2071-5773

Albinism is a rare congenital and inherited genetically condition characterized by a partial or complete lack of melanin; the pigment that colors the skin, eyes and hair or feathers. This condition results from the expression of a recessive allele which causes the tyrosinase enzyme inactivity, implied in the melanin biosynthesis (Krecsák, 2008). Albinism manifests differently on each organism, it may vary on intensity or relevance, which allows its classification into two types: complete albinism, a condition expressed phenotypically as the complete absence of melanin in the entire body; and partial albinism, when melanin is reduced in the whole body or the absence is located in just one part of the body (Klug and Cummings, 1999).