Project Gorgon Genetics — Master Glossary

Written by Kaskrim • Scribed by AI Elara • Project Gorgon Genetics Research

A reference of key terms used throughout these articles and in breeder conversation. Organized alphabetically.

A

ALLELE

One half of a gene. Every gene position has two alleles — one from each parent. An allele is either dominant or recessive.

B

BACK-CROSS

Breeding an offspring back to one of its parents (or the original clarified line parent). The primary method for cleaning up mixed genes after a fold-in. See The Complete Guide to Genetics Clarification.

BLIND BREEDING

Breeding without the Genetics skill. Without the skill, gene states cannot be seen directly — the breeder infers genetic progress from stat values and consistency across siblings. Blind breeding works for modest goals but cannot support targeted fold-ins or precise clarification work. See Getting Started With Genetics.

BREED SWITCH (horses only)

The first chromosome in each horse breed cycle (CR 9, 13, 17, etc.). Uses a graduation to determine which breed is active. The breed with the most dominant genes in its switch chromosome wins. Inactive breeds have both visual and stat genes turned off.

C

CHROMOSOME (CR)

A row in the genome grid. Arthropods have 10 chromosomes (CR 1-10). Horses have 48 (CR 1-48). Each chromosome controls one or more traits.

CIRCULAR GRADUATION

A graduation where the spectrum wraps around — all-dominant and all-recessive produce the same or similar output. Used for hue (color wheel). See: CR 1 (body hue), CR 3 (wing hue).

CLARIFIED / CLARIFICATION

A specimen with NO mixed genes — every position is either dominant or recessive. A clarified specimen breeds true (100% predictable offspring). The process of reaching this state is called clarification. See The Complete Guide to Genetics Clarification.

CLEANUP

The back-crossing phase after a fold-in where you breed remaining mixed genes back toward the clarified parent's state. During cleanup, the target gene is already locked (if using Method 2) or being monitored (if using Method 1).

COORDINATE SYSTEM

The standard notation for referencing a specific gene position in the genome. Format: [Chromosome][Gene Group][Position]. Example: 3H3 = Chromosome 3, Gene Group H, Position 3. Created by Deldaron and later built into the game's UI by developer Nikodemus.

D

DECODE TYPE

The way a chromosome (or region) reads its genes to produce expression. Three known types: Switch (on/off), Series (pattern-matched lookup), Graduation (dominant/recessive ratio on a spectrum). See Genome Foundations: Structure and Expression.

DOMINANT

A gene where both alleles are dominant. Displays as ⬤ in-game. Breeds true: dominant × dominant = 100% dominant. In arthropods, dominant genes do NOT express stat bonuses.

DOUBLE RECESSIVE

See: Recessive.

DUAL-LAYER

The concept that each gene simultaneously contributes to visual expression AND stat expression as independent layers. A gene on a color chromosome still sometimes has a stat value that expresses regardless of the visual trait. See Genome Foundations: Structure and Expression.

DUAL-STAT GENE

A gene position that contributes to two different stats depending on its state. When the gene is double recessive (〇), it contributes to one stat. When it is double dominant (⬤) or mixed (⦿), it contributes to a different stat. Dual-stat genes are one reason horse breeders cannot fully blind clarify — stat tracking alone cannot determine which direction to push the gene without knowing which stat you want to optimize.

E

EXPRESSION

The actual visible thing produced when genes are read — a color, a glow, a body scale, a particle effect, a stat bonus. Expression is what the decode type produces as output.

F

FIRST GENERATION (F1)

The offspring produced by crossing two specimens from different lines or a wild specimen with a clarified line. F1 offspring typically have many mixed genes and lower stats than either parent — this is normal and expected. Stats recover over subsequent generations as mixed genes are bred back to recessive.

F2 (Second Generation)

The offspring produced by crossing two F1 siblings (sibling cross). F2 is where clarification begins in earnest — the ⦿ × ⦿ cross gives each mixed gene a 25% chance to resolve to ⬤ or 〇. F2 offspring with fewer mixed genes than their F1 parents are candidates to replace those parents in the breeding pair (upgrade-and-replace). See also: FIRST GENERATION (F1).

FLOOR

The minimum stat value shared by all specimens of the same species. Determined by the base stat value plus all genes that are permanently locked at recessive across all wild archetypes. The floor is the starting point — variable genes add on top of it. Confirmed arthropod floors: Ferocity 44, Friendliness 40, Virility 37, Toughness 33, Enthusiasm 32, Ruggedness 31, Intelligence 29.

FOLD-IN

Introducing a specific gene from an outside specimen (usually wild) into an established, clarified breeding line. See The Complete Guide to Gene Hunting and Fold-Ins.

G

GENE BANK

A collection of wild-caught specimens kept specifically as sources of target genes for future fold-ins. Useful for fold-ins where the target gene may be lost and you need backup sources.

GENE GROUP

A column in the genome grid (A through J for arthropods, A through L for horses). Each gene group contains up to 4 sub-positions.

GENE HUNTING

Searching wild specimens for a specific target gene at a specific position. Gene hunting involves taming wild specimens, analyzing their genomes, and keeping those that express the desired gene at recessive. The Analyze Arthropod Genes ability (Genetics level 50) allows analysis of living creatures, making gene hunting practical. Chromosomes 5-10 are the primary hunting ground for arthropods, as chromosomes 1-4 are fixed per archetype.

GENERATION

One breeding cycle: parent pair produces offspring. Each generation takes roughly 2-3 days of real time. All breeding progress is measured in generations.

GENOME

The complete set of all genes for a specimen. The arthropod genome has 238 positions across 10 chromosomes. The horse genome has 1,576 positions across 48 chromosomes.

GRADUATION

A decode type where the ratio of dominant to recessive alleles across a region determines where a trait falls on a continuous spectrum. Can be circular (wraps around, like a color wheel) or linear (distinct endpoints). See Genome Foundations: Structure and Expression.

H

HIVE POKING

An arthropod gene hunting method where a group of 3 players disturbs a hive to spawn bees and wasps for analysis and taming. Specimens spawned from disturbed hives appear to have a slightly higher incidence of rare genes than specimens found in the open world. A non-tameable elite always spawns with the group and must be killed first without using AoE abilities that would damage the regular specimens.

HOLDER SPECIMEN

A wild-caught specimen registered at a stable specifically to preserve its genetic material for a future fold-in. Holder specimens occupy stable slots and are not used for active breeding — they wait until the line is ready for the fold-in they carry. A wild-caught with multiple desirable genes may remain a holder specimen for an extended period while its genes are folded in one at a time. See also: GENE BANK.

I

INBREEDING

Breeding related specimens (parent x offspring, sibling x sibling). In Project Gorgon, there is NO penalty for inbreeding. It is the standard and recommended method. See Genetics Basics and Inbreeding.

L

LINEAR GRADUATION

A graduation with two distinct endpoints. All-dominant produces one extreme, all-recessive produces the other. Used for saturation, value, and body scales.

LINE

A named breeding program maintained by a single breeder. Lines are identified by a short prefix (2-4 letters) chosen by the breeder — for example, LHA or BLH. All specimens bred within the program carry the line prefix in their name. A line typically has a clarified foundation pair and a set of active breeding goals.

LOCKED

A gene that is either dominant or recessive (not mixed). A locked gene breeds true and will not change without introducing outside genetics. The goal of clarification is to lock every gene.

M

MASKING

When a dominant allele hides a recessive allele in a mixed gene. The trait controlled by the recessive allele is carried but not expressed. This is why mixed genes look dominant for decode purposes but can produce recessive offspring.

MIXED

A gene with one dominant and one recessive allele. Displays as ⦿ in-game. Mixed genes are unpredictable: mixed × mixed produces 25% dominant, 50% mixed, 25% recessive. Eliminating mixed genes is the core goal of clarification.

MUTATION-ONLY GENE

A gene position that cannot be found in wild specimens. These genes are only obtainable through the in-game mutation system.

P

PUNNETT SQUARE

A grid tool used to visualize all possible allele combinations from two parents at a single gene position. Invented by British geneticist Reginald Punnett in the early 1900s. Useful for understanding cross probabilities. Each cell represents one equally likely outcome. Example: mixed x mixed produces a 2x2 grid with four cells — dominant/dominant, dominant/recessive, recessive/dominant, recessive/recessive — giving the 25/50/25 ratio.

R

RECESSIVE GENE

A gene where both alleles are recessive. Displays as 〇 in-game. Breeds true: recessive × recessive = 100% recessive. In arthropods, recessive genes express stat bonuses. This is the target state for stat genes.

S

SERIES

A decode type where the specific allele pattern maps to a specific output from a defined set. Like a lookup table. Example: tail light color on CR 9. See Genome Foundations: Structure and Expression.

SIBLING CROSS

Breeding two siblings (offspring from the same parents or line). Used in some fold-in methods to lock a target gene at recessive. The cross mixed x mixed gives a 25% chance of producing recessive at the target position.

SPECIMEN

A species-neutral term for any breedable creature (bee, wasp, horse). Used in naming conventions and general breeding discussion.

STABLE SLOT

A slot at a breeding stable where a specimen can be registered. Registered specimens cannot be caged or traded — only released (permanently deleted). See Getting Started With Genetics.

STAT EXPRESSION

The stat layer of a gene's output. Every gene position contributes to stat expression independently of its visual expression. In arthropods, stats express only at double recessive (〇). In horses, some stats express at dominant or mixed instead. See Genome Foundations: Structure and Expression.

STAT GENE

A gene that controls one of the 7 pet/mount stats (Ferocity, Toughness, Ruggedness, Virility/Fertility, Friendliness, Enthusiasm, Intelligence). Stat genes are scattered across all chromosomes as a separate layer from visual expressions. In arthropods, stats express at double recessive only.

SWITCH

A decode type where genes produce a binary on/off result. Either the trait is present or absent. Example: glow on CR 5. See Genome Foundations: Structure and Expression.

T

TARGET GENE

The specific gene you are trying to fold into your line from an outside source. Named in the specimen naming convention with coordinate and prefix (e.g., a3H3 = adding gene at chromosome 3, group H, position 3).

U

UNIVERSAL CHROMOSOMES (horses only)

Chromosomes that are active across all horse breeds regardless of which breed switch is active. For horses, CR 1-3 and CR 5-8 are universal (CR 4 is unused and non-functional). Genes on universal chromosomes contribute to stats in every horse regardless of breed, making them the highest priority for gene hunting and fold-ins. Breed-specific chromosomes (CR 9 onward) only activate when the corresponding breed switch is dominant, so improvements there benefit only horses of that breed.

UPGRADE AND REPLACE

The core clarification method. After each breeding cycle, compare the offspring to the same-sex parent. If the offspring is better (fewer mixed genes in sighted clarification, more consistent stats in blind clarification), the offspring replaces that parent in the breeding pair. If the offspring is worse, discard it and try again. Over many generations, this progressively reduces the number of mixed genes in the line until full clarification is achieved.

V

VISUAL EXPRESSION

The visual layer of a gene's output. Every gene position contributes to visual expression via its chromosome's decode type (Switch, Series, or Graduation). Visual expression operates independently of stat expression. See Genome Foundations: Structure and Expression.

W

WILD / WILD-CAUGHT

A specimen tamed from the wild (not bred). Wild specimens have their own set of dominant and recessive genes that differ from your clarified line. They are the source of new genetic material for fold-ins.

WILD ARCHETYPE

The fixed gene pattern found in wild specimens of a given species for chromosomes 1-4. All wild specimens of the same species share the same dominant/recessive pattern on these chromosomes. Chromosomes 5-10 are random in wild specimens and are the primary hunting ground for desirable genes. There are three arthropod archetypes: Fae Bees, Fae Wasps (Blinding and Turret), and Freeze Wasps.

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Research and knowledge by Kaskrim. Compiled by AI Elara. Project Gorgon Genetics Research.

This article is part of the Project Gorgon Genetics Research series by Kaskrim.