Albino Insects

[Andrew]

Is it possible for any insects to be albino? I think it would be really cool to have an albino mantis...

Thanks,

Andrew

 

[Sheldon Johnson]

i doubt if it would be possible tbh as due to the fact its a genetic weakness, the mantis would have minimal survival chance and probably wouldn't make it out of the ooth.

 

[Jesse]

I believe only vertebrates can be albino. Some insect and crustacean cultures exist that contain red eye or white eye and other albino like forms but are not truly albino.

 

[Barvid]

Is the red-eyed fruitfly (Drosophila hydei) a "not real albino"?

 

[Jesse]

Drosophila hydei naturally has red eyes, so does D. melanogaster.

 

[Barvid]

Thanks :wink:

 

[herpfan]

hmmm, have to look into it further, but i dont see why it would be impossible to have albino insects. insects have colour pigments too, and albino is just a mutation which interrupts the metabolic pathway which leads to the expression of the pigment.

Kev 8)

 

[Jesse]

Well, ok so albinism may indeed occur in some insects but it is extemely rare, and only seems to occur in highly inbred laboratory cultures of insects such as one of the migratory locusts. Keep in mind that albinism defined as the lack of pigment may be different in mammals as it is in insects, but still is what it is "a lack of pigment".

 

[Andrew]

This could prove to be an interesting experiment(or a series of very time consuming failures).

If an albino were to be born, and was successfully bred, the gene would be passed on and a certain percentage of the babies would be albino, right? And then the babies that werent albino would carry the gene and be heterozygous for albino? I know about color morph genetics in breeding reptiles, but I dont know if it works the same with insects.

Thanks,

Andrew

 

[Jesse]

If you are willing to breed the same line of mantids for possibly decades or longer, then go right ahead. I wouldn't want to take the chance that it is a lethal mutation in the species being bred, and all the potential albinos never even hatch from their egg (too weak).

 

[Andrew]

Ok...nevermind then. Lol. :lol:

Thanks,

Andrew

 

[JohnCon]

I just received cockroaches from yen and one of them was an albino it is freaky cool!

 

[AmandaLynn]

I just received cockroaches from yen and one of them was an albino it is freaky cool!

Really :blink: What does it look like? Does it have red eyes? Are you sure it hasn't just molted?

 

[kookamonga]

Your best bet to find an albino insect is in captivity imho. In the wild they'll have very hard time surviving due to lack of camo.

 

[Katnapper]

I just received cockroaches from yen and one of them was an albino it is freaky cool!

I thought I had an albino cricket in one of my first batches of crickets. But I was informed it had just molted. Your cockroach, sadly, is not unique... it's just molted and will turn the same color as the rest of them in a couple of days. I see them all of the time in my roach colony.

 

[JohnCon]

I thought I had an albino cricket in one of my first batches of crickets. But I was informed it had just molted. Your cockroach, sadly, is not unique... it's just molted and will turn the same color as the rest of them in a couple of days. I see them all of the time in my roach colony.

ohhh damn!! haha i admit i know nothing of cockroaches, it still looks cool though!

 

[Katnapper]

ohhh damn!! haha i admit i know nothing of cockroaches, it still looks cool though!

Yes, it does look cool. And when I'm hand feeding roaches, these babys are the first ones I pick... soft and yummy (or at least I'm guessing they are)!

 

[TanteEdgar]

Alright, forget the albinos, let's pick on the gingers!!!

 

[Radek]

There are very many color morphs of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii. So it is possible also for insects.