Genetics Info & Tutorial: Chromosomes

A supplement to the 2008 Cornsnake Morph Guide

DNA is arranged into tightly-packed clumps which are called chromosomes. Each species of animal has a certain number of chromosomes. For example, humans have 23 pairs for a total of 46 chromosomes. The chromosomes can contain thousands of genes, each of which has its own little purpose


	The place where a gene is physically located on the chromosome is called a locus. People commonly refer to a locus as “the gene for something” such as “the gene for amelanism,” or “the gene for blue eyes.”

As we saw previously, a gene can be changed. Therefore, different animals can have a different gene in the same locus. It is important to know that there are many different “versions” of genes that can be in the same locus of different animals. These different versions are what make animals of the same species different from each other.

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