Final answer:
A hybrid short hair guinea pig and a long haired guinea pig have several litters with a variety of fur lengths. To determine the best estimate of the total offspring that could have short hair, we need to consider the genotypes of the parents. When crossing a hybrid short hair guinea pig with a long haired guinea pig, we can use a Punnett square to find that the best estimate is 24 offspring.
Step-by-step explanation:
In guinea pigs, short hair is dominant to long hair. In this case, a hybrid short hair guinea pig and a long haired guinea pig are in the same cage and have several litters, totaling 36 offspring with a variety of fur lengths. To calculate the best estimate of the total offspring that could have short hair, we need to consider the genotype of the parents. The hybrid short hair guinea pig can have one short hair allele and one long hair allele, while the long haired guinea pig can have two long hair alleles.
Using a Punnett square, we can determine the possible genotypes and phenotypes of the offspring. When crossing a hybrid short hair (Ss) guinea pig with a long haired (ss) guinea pig, the resulting offspring can have the following genotypes:
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Therefore, the best estimate of the total offspring that could have short hair is 25% of 36 which is 9 offspring. So, the correct answer is 24 offspring.
Learn more about Punnett square