Exception to the Rule
Can a Leucistic (leu) offspring from a leu parent and a Platinum (plat) parent carry the plat gene?
For the most part, the answer is no. In most cases, based on historical breedings, it does not occur. The scenarios below appear to have only occurred with a couple of offspring from Sunshine and Pascal making this an extremely rare case. It is believed that this line possibly has undergone a gene mutation which is why it reacts differently than normal platinums. No other offspring from either the Haley or the Silverbelle lines have proven to carry or pass both the plat and leu genes. Due to that, most every heterozygous (het) sugar glider is going to be considered plat het or leu het; which would be proven through breeding. Many breeders will label them "100% Plat/Leu Het" or “50/50 plat, leu het” (depends on how the breeder describes it) as to not potentially misrepresent the line. This means the offspring is either plat or leu het, but not both. Leus out of leu and plat parents will not be considered platinum het. Plats out of leu and plat parents will be considered leu het.
Based on my experiences and research into the offspring of Sunshine (the potentially “morphed” line), they have gone on to pass both genes to their offspring. But can a leu from that line that was born from plat and leu parents carry the plat gene (ie. Can the offspring be Leu, 100% plat het)? With this line, at this point we are not positive.
A leucistic glider out of Plat and Leu lines HAS gone on to pass both genes to its offspring. It has already been done. It is rare and seems to only have occurred in this line, but if it has happened. Below is a diagram explaining how this is possible, followed by the scenarios that have occurred.
For the most part, the answer is no. In most cases, based on historical breedings, it does not occur. The scenarios below appear to have only occurred with a couple of offspring from Sunshine and Pascal making this an extremely rare case. It is believed that this line possibly has undergone a gene mutation which is why it reacts differently than normal platinums. No other offspring from either the Haley or the Silverbelle lines have proven to carry or pass both the plat and leu genes. Due to that, most every heterozygous (het) sugar glider is going to be considered plat het or leu het; which would be proven through breeding. Many breeders will label them "100% Plat/Leu Het" or “50/50 plat, leu het” (depends on how the breeder describes it) as to not potentially misrepresent the line. This means the offspring is either plat or leu het, but not both. Leus out of leu and plat parents will not be considered platinum het. Plats out of leu and plat parents will be considered leu het.
Based on my experiences and research into the offspring of Sunshine (the potentially “morphed” line), they have gone on to pass both genes to their offspring. But can a leu from that line that was born from plat and leu parents carry the plat gene (ie. Can the offspring be Leu, 100% plat het)? With this line, at this point we are not positive.
A leucistic glider out of Plat and Leu lines HAS gone on to pass both genes to its offspring. It has already been done. It is rare and seems to only have occurred in this line, but if it has happened. Below is a diagram explaining how this is possible, followed by the scenarios that have occurred.
Sunshine1 is a leu out of leu and plat lines and is paired with Pascal2 (Mosaic) that is out of leu lines with no platinum. Together they went on to produce Miranda3 (Mosaic). She was paired with Leo4 (Leucistic with no plat in his lines). Together they produced two platinum offspring, Cash5 and Liani6. The ONLY way for this pairing to have produced plat offspring is if Miranda carries the platinum gene. The only way for her to have inherited the plat gene is from Sunshine. That means Sunshine, a leucistic glider, has passed the platinum gene on to the offspring.
Further, Miranda and Leo have also had leu joeys, which means that Miranda (a mosaic) carries both the plat and leu gene.
In the other cases, such as my Bosley7 (who is Miranda's twin), has produced platinum offspring as well. The only difference with mine is there is no way, without genetic testing, to determine if Bosley has both plat and leu genes, or just the leu gene. That is because he is paired with a plat het that has no leu. So, my plat offspring could be from her plat gene and his leu gene interacting together. That doesn't discount that he is considered a platinum het.
Additionally, we know that a het can carry both genes. Another of my gliders, Bernard8 (owed by Shannon Burch of Motown Gliders in Michigan) is a classic grey. He has gone on to pass both the leu and the plat gene to his children and grandchildren.
Although this is extremely rare, even in this line, at least one leu carries the plat gene as already proven with Sunshine. There are currently breeders that are trying to further prove this with. (To date, none other have proven this to occur.) I don't expect to see definitive answers immediately, but will be extremely interested to follow the breeding results. Until it is proven otherwise, I feel that all leucistic gliders out of plat and leu lines should not be considered Lue, 100% Plat het unless they breed and prove otherwise..
1 http://www.pedigree.thepetglider.com/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=1148
2 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=1177
3 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=2259
4 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=7480
5 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=14032
6 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=2258
7 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=2327
8 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=3005
Further, Miranda and Leo have also had leu joeys, which means that Miranda (a mosaic) carries both the plat and leu gene.
In the other cases, such as my Bosley7 (who is Miranda's twin), has produced platinum offspring as well. The only difference with mine is there is no way, without genetic testing, to determine if Bosley has both plat and leu genes, or just the leu gene. That is because he is paired with a plat het that has no leu. So, my plat offspring could be from her plat gene and his leu gene interacting together. That doesn't discount that he is considered a platinum het.
Additionally, we know that a het can carry both genes. Another of my gliders, Bernard8 (owed by Shannon Burch of Motown Gliders in Michigan) is a classic grey. He has gone on to pass both the leu and the plat gene to his children and grandchildren.
Although this is extremely rare, even in this line, at least one leu carries the plat gene as already proven with Sunshine. There are currently breeders that are trying to further prove this with. (To date, none other have proven this to occur.) I don't expect to see definitive answers immediately, but will be extremely interested to follow the breeding results. Until it is proven otherwise, I feel that all leucistic gliders out of plat and leu lines should not be considered Lue, 100% Plat het unless they breed and prove otherwise..
1 http://www.pedigree.thepetglider.com/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=1148
2 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=1177
3 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=2259
4 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=7480
5 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=14032
6 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=2258
7 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=2327
8 http://www.thepetglider.com/pedigree/modules/animal/pedigree.php?pedid=3005
The only other explanation would be if there is platinum in the mate's line that is not listed in any of the lineages or known to exist. If this happens to be the case, then that would disprove the morphed gene theory.
Updated 2/22/2016