Final answer:
The most useful organism for studying heredity among the four options provided would be the Fruit Fly (Drosophila melanogaster). Fruit flies have been extensively studied for their reproductive patterns and inheritance of traits. They have a short generation time, making it possible to observe multiple generations in a short period of time. Fruit flies also have easily identifiable traits, such as body color and eye color, that can be used to study genetic inheritance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most useful organism for studying heredity among the four options provided would be the Fruit Fly (Drosophila melanogaster). Fruit flies have been extensively studied for their reproductive patterns and inheritance of traits. They have a short generation time, making it possible to observe multiple generations in a short period of time. Fruit flies also have easily identifiable traits, such as body color and eye color, that can be used to study genetic inheritance.
Pea plants (Pisum sativum) were used by Gregor Mendel to develop the basic principles of heredity, but they may not be as convenient for studying heredity compared to fruit flies. Bacteria (Escherichia coli) are commonly used in molecular genetics, but they have a different type of reproduction compared to organisms with sexually reproducing traits. Mice (Mus musculus) are commonly used for genetics research, but they have a longer generation time compared to fruit flies.
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