What does “Het” mean in reptile genetics?
“Het” is an abbreviation for heterozygous. It means that an animal is carrying two different genes in one specific locus. It is the opposite of homozygous which means an animal is carrying two of the same genes at a specific locus. What this means is; an animal who is het has received different types of genes from each parent whereas an animal who is homozygous has received an identical set of genes from each parent. This becomes important in classifying reptiles that are bred for specific genes such as a Leopard gecko that is heterozygous for the albino trait. It will appear to be a normal gecko but if bred to another albino gecko there is a possibility of passing down the albino gene.
