Motley

What Motley looks like

Visual Motley. Homozygous at Motley locus. Connected, chain-link or near-stripe dorsal pattern replacing the normal discrete saddles. Saddles merge laterally into a continuous or semi-continuous dorsal chain. Lateral spotting is reduced or incorporated into the dorsal pattern. Produces a clean, streamlined appearance.

The Motley locus is a recessive trait in Boa constrictor that produces a modified and connected saddle pattern. Homozygous Motley animals display saddles that are reduced in size, merged laterally into a connected dorsal stripe or chain-link pattern, and show reduced pattern contrast. The effect is a "cleaner" appearance compared to the wild-type saddle pattern. The lateral spots often merge with the dorsal saddles to create a continuous chain of connected markings running the length of the body. In some individuals, the pattern approaches a connected dorsal stripe. Motley also tends to clean up background color and reduce "busy" lateral patterning. The Motley trait in boa constrictors is distinct from the Motley locus in corn snakes (where Motley is allelic with Stripe). In boas, Motley is not known to be allelic with any other locus. Heterozygous carriers (het Motley) appear phenotypically normal.

How to identify it: Motley (motley/motley): Connected, chain-link or stripe-like dorsal pattern. Saddles may merge into a continuous dorsal chain or develop a stripe-like quality running the length of the body. Lateral spotting is reduced or incorporated into the dorsal pattern. Overall appearance is cleaner and more streamlined than wild-type. Background coloration may appear cleaner or more uniform. The connected-pattern effect can range from a loose chain to a near-complete stripe in heavily expressing individuals. Heterozygous carriers appear phenotypically normal.

How Motley is inherited

Motley follows a recessive inheritance pattern, carried on the Motley allele (locus Motley).