Question

You cross two red griffins with blue eyes and produce offspring that are: red with blue eyes, red with green eyes, white with blue eyes, and white with green eyes. Assuming that the genes for body color and eye color are on different chromosomes, what is the ratio of these offspring’s phenotype?

Answer 1

The ratio of offspring's phenotype in a cross between a white-eyed male and a female heterozygous for red eye color in fruit flies is 50% red-eyed males, 25% white-eyed males, 25% red-eyed females, and 0% white-eyed females.

Step-by-step explanation:

In this cross between a white-eyed male and a female that is heterozygous for red eye color in fruit flies, the ratio of offspring's phenotype can be determined using a Punnett square.

The offspring's phenotype would result in 50% red-eyed males, 25% white-eyed males, 25% red-eyed females, and 0% white-eyed females.

This ratio is based on the inheritance patterns of the sex-linked traits, with the white-eye trait being recessive and carried on the X chromosome.

Answer 2

The reason for the offspring to present these genotypes is that during the formation of the gametes, the alleles separate and are inherited independently, therefore they can generate several different phenotypic combinations.

Step-by-step explanation:

In order for an offspring to present very different phenotypes, as shown in the question above, it is necessary that the two red griffins with blue eyes that were crossed are heterozygous. Thus it will be possible for the offspring to present a wide variety of phenotype, according to Mendel's second law.

Mendel's second law is called the Law of segregation. This law explains that the alleles (which determine the characteristics of individuals) are separated in the formation of gametes and inherited by the offspring of a cross independently, and can generate different combinations of phenotypes, when the parents of a cross are heterozygous.