Het Phantom Crested Geckos for sale in the UK
Because a Phantom crested gecko has extra melanin, its harlequin colour and flame sink into a darker base while the white on a pinstripe's raised scales is lost. Phantoms often appear from pairings nobody planned for because carriers can pass for ordinary geckos.
- Hets
- £100
- 4 for sale
Het Phantom crested geckos for sale
About the Phantom gene
The Phantom gene for crested geckos darkens the animal and mutes the pattern. This causes the flame and harlequin colour to sink back into the base. Because it results in dark, clean-looking geckos, keepers buy it. They also use it as the base for combos where the pattern that survives it stands out.
Appearance
The Phantom morph increases melanin levels. This results in a darker base colour and smaller white markings. While a faint pattern often still shows through, the flame and harlequin pattern colours are suppressed. Because the raised pinstripe scales on a pinstripe stay but take on the body colour or sit darker instead of being white or cream, the look is sold as Phantom Pinstripe. That row can be dashed, partial or full. White on the pin scales can come back at the base of the tail where the effect weakens, often as a small white Y. White from white pin scales or white laterals is the least affected. Phantoms are offered on yellow, red, black and dark bases. Selective breeding moves the melanin from pitch black to milk chocolate. Bicolour and patternless are words for a look rather than separate genes, and that look usually comes from Phantom. At a glance, a Phantom Pinstripe can pass for either. The tell is the raised pinstripe scales along the back.
Genetics
The Phantom gene is recessive with no super form. Het Phantom animals often look like ordinary crested geckos, though some breeders read faint markers, so the gene can move through a line unnoticed. Listings for stock may show Het Phantom, 50% Het Phantom, 66% Het Phantom, or Pos Het Phantom. Phantom is not related to the Pinstripe gene despite the Phantom Pinstripe name, but the two are often bred together. On a harlequin, the Phantom mutes the pattern colour. It also dulls the white on a Lilly White except near the tail base. It is worked with portholes and Dalmatian spotting and sold under base-colour names like Dark Phantom and Red Phantom. The first production of it is credited to Anthony Caponetto Reptiles.