Final answer:
Epistasis is the most likely expression pattern for the gene that controls arms in spud genetics. The presence of the a2 allele is dominant and masks the expression of the a1 allele, resulting in straight-skinny arms.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the given scenario, the most likely expression pattern for the gene that controls arms is epistasis. Epistasis occurs when one gene masks the expression of another gene. This can result in a phenotype that is different from what would be expected based on individual gene expression.
In this case, the presence of the a2 allele is dominant over the a1 allele, resulting in the expression of straight-skinny arms. Therefore, the a2 allele acts as the epistatic gene, masking the expression of the a1 allele and preventing the development of squiggly arms or muscular arms.
It is important to note that the specific expression pattern of the gene controlling arms in spud genetics may vary in different species or populations.