Final answer:
The offspring from a cross between a white-eyed male and a heterozygous red-eyed female will have a phenotypic ratio of 50% red-eyed females, 25% red-eyed males, and 25% white-eyed males. The ratio of males to females will be approximately 1:1, as sex is determined by sex chromosomes, not by the eye color gene.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question concerns the ratio of offspring produced from a cross involving sex-linked genes, specifically a gene on the X chromosome. In this scenario, a white-eyed male (XY) is crossed with a female that is heterozygous for red eye color (XWXw). Using a Punnett square, we can predict the possible genotypes of the offspring. Since eye color is X-linked, females have two X chromosomes while males have one X and one Y chromosome.
- The offspring females can either be red-eyed (XWXW or XWXw)
- The offspring males can either be red-eyed (XWY) or white-eyed (XwY).
Therefore, the ratio of the offspring will be as follows: Half of the females will be red-eyed (carriers of the white-eyed gene), and the other half will also be red-eyed (not carriers). For the males, half will be red-eyed and the other half will be white-eyed. To summarize, the ratio of phenotypes in the offspring will be:
- 50% red-eyed females (whether carriers or not)
- 25% red-eyed males
- 25% white-eyed males
However, the question about the ratio of males to females in such a cross is not applicable here, as the sex of the offspring is determined by the sex chromosomes contributed by the parents, not by the eye color gene. The ratio of males to females will be approximately 1:1, unless there is a factor that influences sex determination or viability based on the X-linked gene.