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In cats, some are black, some are orange, and some are calico. All calico cats are always female. This trait represents two inheritance patters. list which two and explain how you know

User FilmJ
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Final answer:

Calico fur in cats represents the inheritance patterns of sex-linked inheritance and codominance.

Step-by-step explanation:

The two inheritance patterns represented by the trait of calico fur in cats are sex-linked inheritance and codominance.

Calico cats are always female because the gene for calico fur is located on the X chromosome. Male cats only have one X chromosome, so they can't inherit the calico fur gene. This is an example of sex-linked inheritance.

Calico cats also exhibit codominance because the genes for black fur and orange fur are both expressed in the phenotype. This results in the unique calico fur pattern.

User Mathlight
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Sex-linked

Classical Mendelian

Step-by-step explanation:

Sex-linked inheritance is the type where traits are carried on the sex-determining chromosomes X & Y. The traits carried on the Y chromosomes show up only in males while those that show up in X chromosomes mainly show up in females. Therefore the calico color trait is X-linked because it only shows up in female cats.

The other type of inheritance shown in the model is classical mendelian where gene alleles that code for traits for color assort themselves independently and have equal chances of getting to the offspring and determining their fur color phenotype. These alleles can be dominant, co-dominant, or recessive.