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

Answer:

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.

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.