Final answer:
Alternate traits to the wild type in Drosophila Melanogaster, like white eyes, are referred to as mutants or variants. These are different forms of genes called alleles and can be dominant or recessive, affecting the phenotype differently based on the organism's genotype. Option 2 is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Traits that are alternative to the wild type, like white eyes in Drosophila Melanogaster, are commonly called mutants or variants. These terms describe phenotypes or genotypes that deviate from the most common form in a natural population, known as the wild type, which is often denoted with a "+" symbol. An allele is a variant of a gene, and when it is recessive, it only affects the phenotype in the homozygous condition, meaning that an organism must have two copies of the recessive allele for it to be expressed in the phenotype. Thus, two individuals can have the same phenotype but different genotypes - one may be homozygous (has two identical alleles) for the trait while the other might be heterozygous (has one wild-type and one mutant allele).
Traits differing from the wild type in organisms, such as white eyes in Drosophila Melanogaster, are termed mutants or variants. These terms encompass deviations in phenotypes or genotypes from the most prevalent form in a population, denoted as the wild type (often symbolized by "+"). Alleles, gene variants, can be recessive, affecting the phenotype only when in a homozygous state. This means an organism must possess two copies of the recessive allele for expression. Consequently, individuals with the same phenotype may harbor distinct genotypes, varying between homozygous and heterozygous conditions.