Dalmatian & Super Dalmatian Crested Geckos

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The Dalmatian Gene

Text and Photos by Anthony Caponetto

History
Dalmatian is one of the first morphs named when crested geckos entered the hobby in the early 2000's. The founders of the Chips line, a pair of babies I got from a local breeder, were my first crested geckos, which I got in January or February of 2003, if memory serves correct. At that time, the name Dalmatian was already floating around and was quite popular with breeders. Within a year or two, it started being described as an incomplete dominant gene, and the term Super Dalmatian started floating around during that period.

Types of Dalmatian Spots

Black Spots
The standard black spots that you see on every Dalmatian. When exceptionally large, you'll hear this type of spot referred to as an ink spot or ink blot, but it's the same thing.

Oil Spots
This is a term coined by someone (no idea who) for faded black spots that you see on some Dalmatians.

Red Spots
This is a highly desirable spot type that you see on some Dalmatians. The more red spots in relation to black spots, the more desirable.

Green Spots
Something I don't see in my colony as much as the other types, but they do occur occasionally.

Dalmatian Genetics
The Dalmatian gene is a straightforward incomplete dominant genetic mutation. In heterozygous form, you get fewer spots and usually of smaller size. In homozygous form - the Super Dalmatian - you get larger spots and more off them.

Terminology