Question

In a population of wild bees, a mutation resulted in slightly larger wingspan in some of the bees. This larger wingspan made the bees more efficient in their flights to flowers to collect nectar. Thus, these bees became more successful at surviving and reproducing. This trait was passed on to offspring, and eventually the larger wingspan variety of bee replaced their smaller-winged relatives completely. Because this mutation produced a specific wing trait that was passed onto offspring, the mutation must have occurred ____.

Answer 1

In reproductive or sexual cells

Step-by-step explanation:

There are two principal types of cells in the organism: Somatic diploid cells (2n) that reproduce by the process of mitosis, and germ cells that are diploid reproductive cells in charge of gamete production. These germ cells suffer both mitosis (to form more sexual cells) and meiosis (giving place to haploid gametes: sperm and egg cells, through the gametogenesis process). Both somatic cells and germinal cells will end their cycle becoming two daughter cells with the same genetic dotation.

Gametes from each parent will merge in the process of fecundation, during which a new diploid cell called a zygote emerges through fertilization. The zygote is a complete cell from the structural point of view that suffers successive mitosis to form the new organism.

Any cell in the organism might suffer mutation.

• If the mutation occurs in the somatic cells, it will produce a population of identical mutated cells in that organism. However, this mutation in these cells is not inheritable. By definition, mutations in somatic cells do not inherit because these cells do not produce progeny.
• If the mutation occurs in the germinal line, in the germ cells, or the sexual cells, this mutation will pass to the offspring. The organism with mutated germinal cells might express a normal phenotype, but this mutation will be detected in the progeny.