Theo

You must have had a lot of longhaired dreams the night before. You make some very good points. I agree that you can have a number of different visible pairings. Genetics is very complicated and my knowledge is limited but I am not sure the math works like that i.e. quantum jumps in #s. But I understand your point on variation.

We need to get a genetics expert on the forum. I know that there are repetitive gene sequences in fish with very long lines of gene combos with certain alleles attaching at the same location and repeating over and over. The result being that for example when looking at a Fla. LMB vs. a Noth. LMB the gene sequence is very similar except at a few marker locations. In short while there may be thousands of possible combos based on the straight math of gene numbers, because they line up in repetitive sequences the numbers are reduced. I am not sure I can do this but here is a try ; while red 3 of diamonds could line up (pair) with many others ,for some reason red 3 of diamonds always and only lines up and pairs with black 2 of clubs and is always followed with black jack of spades ( not to be confused with Black Jack Kidd) and preceded by red queen of hearts. Among this sequence any other variation is fatal so you don't see them otherwise. This is however ,further complicated by the fact that different populations of say BG have genetic change over time through outbreeding depression, mutation and drift so that each population may be identifiably genetically different but still compatible and similar. It is safe to say that Lepomis genetics and their crosses is the most complicated thing I have encountered even more so than quantum physics for me.

\:\)