The melanistic morph (Black Diamond)
Black Corn Snake
Black Diamond is the name given by the french breeding center FG Reptiles, where the world first hyper-melanistic corn snakes are born during the 2022 summer.
Hyper-melanism describe an overproduction of black pigments, that give totally black adult snakes. Hyper-melanism already exist in other colubrid species in captivity such as Elaphe schrenkii, Zamenis persicus…
Black cornsnakes are really hope by the cornsnake community since many many years. It’s the last morph already known in other species that was lacking in cornsnake.
FG Reptiles so thought about black diamonds, which are very rare gemstones, and named those snakes after it. It’s a onelife discovery, so the breeder Florian Solaini from FG Reptiles wanted to celebrate it by a particular name. The shorter name is « Black ».
The few Black Diamonds babies are born from a pair of Miami het Hypo. Those parents were born in FG Reptile breeding center. 2022 was the first reproduction season for the father. The mother already breeded in the farm and has been tested for the Cinder (test was negative).
After the mating in spring 2022, the female did two clutchs.
First clutch of 11 eggs hatched in early July. Here is the result : 6 miamis, 2 Crimsons, 2 Black Diamond, 1 Hypo Black Diamond.
Second clutch had 9 eggs and hatched 15th august. The result was : 5 miamis, 2 Crimson, 1 Black Diamond, 1 Hypo Black Diamond.
Those hyper-melanistic cornsnakes was identify as it because of those requirements : all black saddles, eyes and tongue. The belly is plain gray with a lot of iridescences.
FG Reptiles is pretty certain that the Black Diamond mutation is recessive for three reasons :
The melanic morph seems to combine with other genes, as Hypo Black Diamond are born in the two clutches.
To follow the evolution of those snakes and more questions, follow the Facebook page FG Reptiles.
Both parents are born in FG Reptiles farm. They have as common ancestor only a grandfather, who was bought and reproduce by the breeder. FG Reptile is working his Miami line since many years, by buying Miami Corn Snakes from different breeders and lines according to his own requirements. 2022 mating was the fourth generation of this line.
FG Reptiles has a sister of the father of the Black Diamonds, she will be test for this gene in the following years.
If you prefer watching a video rather than reading, here is a video by Sarah Mohr that includes those informations !
As this mutation is born in 2022, and as the few specimens are only a few weeks old, this description will evolve in the same time they are.
The hyper-melanic morph seems to lightly modify the saddle in the same way as Cinder or Sunkissed.
Saddles : Solid black
Background : Light to dark gray
Belly : Solid gray with iridescent
Eye : All black