Is this a cherryhead?

[Billy29]

Here are some more pics. Am I seeing a single shoulder spur which would make him a cherryhead?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The spur you are looking for would be on the inside of the leg. Towards the plastron. Not the outer leg.
Yours looks just like the babies I just hatched and rehomed.
Northerns.

 

[Billy29]

Ok it didn't really matter to me either way. They are both nice just a little different.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

They are both VERY nice.

 

[Pearly]

this is what Zeropilot was talking about (the spurs) and as for those head scales... I really don't know but your baby's head looks more like my Tucker's (pictured above), than Shellie (picture below). My Tucker is a Brazilian. Then again, I consider myself a novice in anything other than basic husbandry and raising babies. Hopefully someone more seasoned chimes in with some more "RF factual nuggets"

 

[Billy29]

If you look at his inside shoulder he has the lone red scale. The rest of the red scales are in the front. That's why I'm not sure if he's a northern.

 

[Pearly]

View attachment 214467 View attachment 214466 If you look at his inside shoulder he has the lone red scale. The rest of the red scales are in the front. That's why I'm not sure if he's a northern.

Yes I can see that, but i think that rather one deciding factor (like the presence of elbow spurs) it's more about 2 or 3 of them going together, like the color of the plastron, the spurs and the head scales... an of course I might be missing something too

 

[xirxes]

I have heard of the spine as an identifier, but that brings into question my own little hatchlings!

The parentage I was assured as a solely cherry head group and all save one of my little 3 month olds have two colored spines at the inside elbow. Here are the photos:

Now, these are all quite dark plastrons, I've seen video of the indisputably cherryhead parent group, are we saying that two colored scales at the elbow is 100% definitively not cherry head?

If so I have a false ID on my hands!

 

[Billy29]

Well we will find out when they get older.

 

[Baoh]

It is about lineage and a constellation of traits. Not usually a single trait upon which one would qualify or disqualify an animal's label.

Some Brazilians are born without significant elbow tubercles/spurs. Some with multiple. Most Brazilians come with a single spur or maybe a big primary spur with a secondary "little brother" spur tagging along. I have seen triplicate spurs before, although not commonly. Some develop marbling/variegation on the carapace, the plastron, both, or neither. Some have yellow sclerae. Some do not. Some males may develop some marginal scute flaring that does create a milder version (or milder visual effect) of wasp-waisting, but the vast majority of Brazilian males do not. Most Brazilians have substantial melanin pigmentation on their plastrons. Especially as they grow. There ARE people who select for lighter-plastroned lineages, however. "Rudolph" marks are variable, but helpful when (frequently) present. Head scale colors are variable. Head shape trends towards being more angular than most individuals of other localities, but plenty of pure Brazilian females out there have relatively blunt faces. The very best way to know if the animal is a legitimate [anything] is to know both parents are pure [anything] regardless of its individual look. Combining the phenotypical traits into a comprehensive whole will *usually* give you a good basis for identification - especially as an animal matures.

 

[Alex Strege]

Here are some more pics. Am I seeing a single shoulder spur which would make him a cherryhead?

If you don't mind, where did you get him from?

 

[Pearly]

It is about lineage and a constellation of traits. Not usually a single trait upon which one would qualify or disqualify an animal's label.

Some Brazilians are born without significant elbow tubercles/spurs. Some with multiple. Most Brazilians come with a single spur or maybe a big primary spur with a secondary "little brother" spur tagging along. I have seen triplicate spurs before, although not commonly. Some develop marbling/variegation on the carapace, the plastron, both, or neither. Some have yellow sclerae. Some do not. Some males may develop some marginal scute flaring that does create a milder version (or milder visual effect) of wasp-waisting, but the vast majority of Brazilian males do not. Most Brazilians have substantial melanin pigmentation on their plastrons. Especially as they grow. There ARE people who select for lighter-plastroned lineages, however. "Rudolph" marks are variable, but helpful when (frequently) present. Head scale colors are variable. Head shape trends towards being more angular than most individuals of other localities, but plenty of pure Brazilian females out there have relatively blunt faces. The very best way to know if the animal is a legitimate [anything] is to know both parents are pure [anything] regardless of its individual look. Combining the phenotypical traits into a comprehensive whole will *usually* give you a good basis for identification - especially as an animal matures.

Thank you for this post, very well explained. I'm just a hobby keeper but thoroughly enjoy all the learning. This has been an unexpected but great adventure for me. Feeling fortunate to learn from all the great minds around here you Guys. Thanks again