Question

Scientists traveling into previously unexplored areas of Anaszoa Jungte discovered a new species of tree-climbing turtle. They di scovered that there were approxiately 400 turtles. About 100 of them had large, hook-like claws for climbing. The other 300, although apparently the same species, had flat claws that did not enable them to climb. What is the best assumption the dcientist can make regarding the alleles for hooked claws?

Answer 1

The best assumption regarding the alleles for hooked claws in tree-climbing turtles is the presence of a genetic trait that may be dominant in some and recessive in others, which could be subject to natural selection over time.

Step-by-step explanation:

The observation made about the tree-climbing turtles in Anaszoa Jungte illustrates a potential case of genetic variation within a population of the same species. When encountering 400 turtles, with only 100 having large, hook-like claws suitable for climbing, the best assumption that scientists can make about the alleles for hooked claws is that they likely represent a genetic trait that is not universal within the species. This could mean that the hooked claw trait is possibly a dominant allele present in a portion of the population, while the other turtles with flat claws have a recessive allele that does not enable climbing.

The presence of these two distinct physical traits suggests a scenario where natural selection might play a role over time. Turtles with hook-like claws may have an advantage in certain environmental conditions that favor climbing. Therefore, over several generations, if the hook-like claw proves to be beneficial for survival and reproduction, we could expect the frequency of the allele for this trait to increase within the turtle population, akin to the Galápagos tortoises that developed long necks to reach food in dry lowlands.