Neonatal Red Northern: The most commonly seen neonatal color, ground color tones can vary from reddish brown to bright orange. Animals displaying the cleanest (free from obscuring grey or bluish pigment) and most abundant white vertebral markings are considered most desirable. Unlike the basin morph, northern animals do not add white as they mature, the overall consensus being "what you see, is what you get". Connected lightning bolt type vertebral markings, wide drip markings, large laterals and white speckling all serve to enhance the overall confirmation.

Neonatal Green Northern: Not seen as frequently as the red form, but by no means rare, all of the same criteria apply when judging an individual animals overall confirmation. The neonatal ground color has no known bearing on, nor is it an indication of the future ground color shade of the mature animal. Green neonates are equally as likely to mature into either light phase or dark phase adults.

Neonatal Yellow Northern: By far the least frequently occurring neonatal color variety, only a handful of this color baby has ever been recorded or photographed. So rare is the occurence of babys of this type in captivity that it is currently unknown what if any effect or bearing this pre-ontogenic ground color has on the matured specimen. .

Neonatal Yellow Blotched Northern: Born to the same litter as the other yellow neonate pictured above, the distinctive difference between the two morph's, Northern and Blotched can be seen even at this early age. As with it's commonly marked yellow counterpart, any effect or bearing of this pre-ontogenic ground color upon the mature adult animal is as yet unknown. .

Neonatal Basin: Varying from virtually no vertebral markings to a regular unbroken white stripe of varying thicknesses, basins often possess distinct, crossbars, frequently lengthening as they move away from the first third of the body and transforming into triangular and/or diamond shaped marking towards the posterior third and on through the tail. Large laterals markings are a plus and uniformly brilliant yellow venters are typical of this race. Unlike the northern race, basins commonly add vertebral white markings throughout the first two years of their lives. This white augmentation is most commonly witnessed during the months surrounding ontogenesis.

Neonatal Intergrade: The absence of a defined dorsal stripe at birth is common to all known intergrade specimens. Regularly spaced crossbars and or lightning bolt like markings extend downward from the vertebral ridge and run along the entire length of the body. As with all emeralds, lateral markings in the transitional area between the dorsal and ventral scales may be present. Ventral scales coloration can vary from a uniform creamy yellow to the brilliant lemon yellow typical of the basin race. Animals displaying the highest number of large clean white markings are considered to be of superior confirmation..

Classic Basin: A fully and preferably unbroken white vertebral stripe augmented by frequent, evenly spaced short crossbars extending downward from the dorsal stripe. Crossbars are replaced by broader triangular or diamond shaped marking towards the posterior third of the body. As with all emeralds, some display white lateral markings and/or sky blue lateral striping in the transitional area between the dorsal and ventral scales. Ventral scales are very often a uniformly brilliant yellow. Animals displaying the purest individual color in any given area / marking are judged to be of superior confirmation.

Textbook Basin: A fully and preferably unbroken white vertebral stripe augmented by frequent, very evenly spaced long crossbars extending downward from the dorsal stripe. Crossbars are replaced by broader triangular or diamond shaped marking towards the posterior third of the body. As with all emeralds, some display white lateral markings and/or sky blue lateral striping in the transitional area between the dorsal and ventral scales. Ventral scales are very often a uniformly brilliant yellow. Animals displaying the purest individual color in any given area / marking are judged to be of superior confirmation.

Barbwire Basin: A frequently broken white vertebral stripe augmented by regularly spaced short crossbars extending downward from the vertebral ridge. Crossbars are replaced by broader triangular or diamond shaped marking towards the posterior third of the body. As with all emeralds, some display white lateral markings and/or sky blue lateral striping in the transitional area between the dorsal and ventral scales. Ventral scales are very often a uniformly brilliant yellow. Animals displaying the purest individual color in any given area / marking are judged to be of superior confirmation.

Marajo Basin: The complete absence of a dorsal stripe is typical of this evolutionarily isolated morph. Few ,if any, irregularly spaced short crossbar like markings may be present, extending downward from the vertebral ridge. As with all emeralds, some display lateral markings and/or a bluish hue in the transitional area between the dorsal and ventral scales. Typically the dorsal ground color is a uniformly dark green with ventral scales most often a creamy yellow. Darker animals displaying the least number of markings are judged to be of superior confirmation.

Snowflake Basin: An irregular but preferably unbroken white vertebral stripe of wildly varying thickness augmented by irregular, indistinct, short crossbars, often resembling florets extends the length of the vertebral ridge. Any triangular and/or diamond shaped marking normally found towards the posterior third of the body are obscured and indistinct in better specimens. White lateral markings and/or blue lateral striping may be present. Ventral scales are uniformly a brilliant lemon yellow. Heavily marked individuals displaying the purest color in any given catagory are judged to be more desirable.

Light Phase Northern: The absence of a defined dorsal stripe is common to all northern morph's. Regularly spaced crossbar like markings extend downward from a vertebral diamond or zigzag, and run along the entire length of the body. As with all emeralds, lateral markings and/or bluish lateral striping in the transitional area between the dorsal and ventral scales may be present. Ventral scales are most often a pale creamy yellow. Uniformly lime green animals displaying the highest number of clean white markings are judged to be of superior confirmation..

Dark Phase Northern: The absence of a defined dorsal stripe is common to all northern morph's. Regularly spaced crossbar like markings extend downward from a vertebral diamond or zigzag, and run along the entire length of the body. Dark emerald to forest green animals displaying the highest number of clean white markings surrounded by highly defining darker bordering scales are judged to be of superior confirmation. Again, lateral markings and/or bluish lateral striping in the transitional area between the dorsal and ventral scales may be present. Ventral scales are most often a uniform creamy yellow..

Light Phase True Patternless Northern: The best examples will display a complete absence of all defined dorsal and lateral markings along the entire length of the body. As with all emeralds, bluish lateral striping in the transitional area between the dorsal and ventral scales may be present. Ventral scales are most often a uniformly creamy yellow and the dorsal surface should be a rich lime green. Animals displaying a complete absence of dorsal markings and the least amount of darkening along the dorsal ridge are considered to be of superior confirmation..

Dark Phase True Patternless Northern: The best examples display a complete absence of any dorsal or lateral markings along the entire length of the body. Ventral scales are most often a uniform creamy yellow typical of the northern race. The coloration of the dorsal surface should be a deep rich emerald green. Most animals lighten notably approaching the posterior third of the body. Animals displaying a complete absence of doral markings with the least amount of lightening along the dorsal ridge and retaining a uniform dark-green coloration are considered superior..

Anaconda Phase Northern: This morph displays well defined dark-green to black circular blotches liberally along the entire length of the dorsal surface. As with all emeralds, bluish lateral striping in the transitional area between the dorsal and ventral scales may be present as well as white or yellow lateral markings. Ventral scales are most often a uniformly creamy yellow and the dorsal surface a rich lime green. Animals displaying the least amount of darkening along the anterior dorsal ridge while retaining distinctly outlined blotching are considered to be of superior confirmation. ..

New Locale - ( aberrant ): Typical northern traits are accompanied by atypically numerous crossbars and lightning bolt markings extending downward up to half the width of the lateral surface. In the best specimens these dripmarks widen at the tip forming a teardrop like shape. Large, abundant lateral markings in either yellow or white are another distinctive feature, as are presence of false eyespots and flects of white which may run the entire length of the body. Bluish lateral striping in the transitional area between the dorsal and ventral scales may be present and ventral scales are most often a uniform creamy yellow. Occurring in both light and dark forms, animals displaying the largest and the greatest number of clean white markings are considered best. .

The Black Northern - ( aberrant ): This Hypermelanistic form displays normal northern emerald crosshatching set against an unusually light green to yellow-green ground color over which a true form of black pigmentation displays along the dorsal and lateral surfaces giving the animal it's distinctive appearance. Lateral markings may be present with the ventral scales most often colored a uniform creamy yellow. Animals displaying the greatest amount of hypermelanistic pigmentation and contrasting white vertebral and lateral markings are considered to be of superior confirmation..

The Black Basin - ( aberrant ): This Hypermelanistic form displays normal basin emerald scalation and vertebral markings set against the usual light green to yellow-green ground color. Over these common characteristics lies a patchwork of true black pigmentation which displays along the dorsal and lateral surfaces just as in the northern black form. Normal lateral markings may or may not be present with ventral scales most often the vibrant yellow common to the basin race. Animals with the greatest amount of hypermelanistic pigmentation and contrasting white vertebral markings are considered superior..

Northern -x- Basin Intergrade: The absence of a dorsal stripe at birth is common to this rare morph. Regularly spaced crossbar and/or lightning bolt like markings extending downward from the vertebral ridge run the entire length of the body. Lateral markings and/or bluish lateral striping along the transitional area between the dorsal and ventral scales may be present. Some individuals have been known to "frost along the vertebral ridge well after ontogenesis. Ventral scales may vary from the uniformly creamy yellow of the northern race to the intense lemon yellow common to basins. .

Granite Northern - ( aberrant ): This unusual form displays normal northern emerald scalation and vertebral markings set against an unusually high yellow to green ratio pervasive throughout its ground color True black pigmentation may be present along the dorsal and lateral surfaces but not in high density. Normal lateral markings may or may not be present with ventral scales the creamy yellow typical of this race. Animals displaying a combination of the greatest amount of yellow pigmentation and contrasting white vertebral markings along the dorsal surface are considered to be of superior confirmation..