Buf

Type: Dominant

First Produced By: Jan Notté

Aliases: No (but see discussion of Toffee and Yellowjacket below)

Issues: No known issues

First Produced In: 2001

Availability: Lower

Last Updated: 2023-04-11

Issues

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About

Buf Corn Snakes typically lack true red tones and are characterized by shades of orange, yellow, tan, and brown. Whether Buf is a hyperxanthic mutation (addition of yellow), a hypoerythristic mutation (reduction of red), or a combination of both is not known. Buf is characterized by a high degree of variability in its visual expression, sometimes making it difficult to discern, especially in young individuals. The Buf mutation does not result in any alteration of the typical Corn Snake pattern of dorsal and lateral blotches, head markings, or belly checkers. Buf alters the color of blotches and background color but does not typically diminish melanin (i.e., black markings), and therefore the dorsal blotch margins and belly checkers of Buf Corn Snakes are not affected by this mutation. Individuals that are homozygous for Buf are not visually distinguishable from those that are heterozygous for the mutation.

Issues

No known issues.

History

The Buf mutation was discovered in Holland by Jan Notté, who also performed breeding trials to prove that the gene was distinct from Caramel (which it can resemble), and that it has a dominant mode of inheritance.

Appearance

Head

When not combined with other color-altering mutations, the eye color of Buf corn Snakes is typically orange (i.e., lighter in color than wild-type corn snakes).

Body

Pattern not altered. Dorsal and lateral blotches are typically orange on a tan/brown background. However, as mentioned above, this mutation is highly variable in its visual expression, with some individuals being difficult to discern from wild-type corn snakes (which are highly variable as well), and other individuals being very light tan and yellow, or sometimes distinctly brown and yellow. This high degree of variability is sometimes observed even among siblings from the same clutch.

Belly

The belly checkers of Buf corn snakes are not altered from that of wild-type corn snakes (i.e., typical black and dark brown). The belly pattern of Buf corn snakes is not typically altered from that of wild-type corn snakes (i.e., no reduction in ventral pattern, or differences in overall distribution of belly checkers).

Tail

Pattern not altered.

Controversy

Toffee is another likely hypoerythristic mutation that greatly resembles Buf, was also discovered in Europe (ca2006), and also has a dominant mode of inheritance. Similarly, ‘Yellowjacket’ (aka, ‘Yellow Factor’) is a little known, yet supposedly dominant hypoerythristic and/or hyperxanthic potential mutation. Currently, it is unknown if these 3 potential mutations are distinct from one another, somehow related (i.e., perhaps allelic), or if they are all genetically identical. The breeding trials that would be required to fully determine this would be extensive and have not yet been completed (see links below).

Proven Lines

No distinct lines are currently recognized.

Related Traits

Buf is not known to be related to, or allelic to, any other proven corn snake mutations. Although as noted above, whether or not Buf is a distinct mutation from Toffee and Yellowjacket, has not been demonstrated through comprehensive breeding trials.