Thanks for posting dretd
I hope we do hear from @fowlman01
Meanwhile I'll pop in for some comments:
question #1 - a) Cream = ig/ig is the answer for me
question #2 - I think the current naming conventions "Cream" and "Crele" are fine, if the Cream has a softer overall look and the Crele has a bolder coloration. I would not favor the term "dilute crele". Especially since "dilute" could reference an entirely different "dominant dilute" genetic at work. See @ChicKat 's recent link to Classroom in the Coop, discussions on or about 10/21/11.
www.the-coop.org/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=99193&page=all
The concept of dominant dilute, Di/Di, has also been related to the lighter shades of brown leghorns, specifically that it acts as a dominant gold diluter in addition to anything that cream ig/ig would impact, which may be a factor in the "whiter" birds we are seeing.
In that discussion they do occasionally refer to "Cream Crele", but never "Dilute Crele", so I think "Cream" is the operative term.
Your comment:
Punnett in one of his papers (http://www.ias.ac.in/jarch/jgenet/48/327.pdf and the paragraph about the secondaries is found just above the entry "Rhode Island Red Cross" on page 329) describes how red doesn't show up in the wing triangle, only gold. So looking to see if there is gold in that location is the best way for a breeder to get an idea if their bird is ig/ig or Ig/?. It is a tool in the tool box to decide what you have.
…has always been the litmus test for me of gold vs cream. Today I noticed another part of that statement that answers a loose end for me. I have always wondered if we were seeing red/chestnut instead of gold on the wing triangle. So your referenced information is very helpful for me to stay focused on is it gold or cream in the wing triangle.
I think if we can accept that as a reliable standard, it is a key point that would readily identify "Cream" vs "Crele" for the purposes of APA standards.
For the purposes of breeding, if the rooster's genotype is split for cream, and his phenotype is gold based on the wing triangle, then his offspring with a cream female could meet the APA requirements for breeding 50% true for cream. If everything else is equal, then he would be a valuable breeder for either variety. In the long run, I suspect that won't work as well if the Crele version wants to be more saturated than the Cream.
Time is our friend. As we all work towards our own preferences, the authentic characteristics of Cream and Crele will become clear and provide a solid basis for distinctions between the two. Staying with the effort also shows a true attachment to the breed and the varieties within it, beyond just a short term hobby or trend.