In: Biology
You notice that many Alaskan foxes and Himalayan rabbits are darker in color at the ears, nose, paws, and tail. What is most likely causing this pattern?
a) genetic patterns of inheritance b) environmental influences c) polygenic inheritance d) an autosomal disorder e) the law of segregation
The answer is b. Environmental influence and c. Polygenic inheritance.
Explaination:
The environmental influences affect the expression of genes in Alaskan foxes and Himalayan rabbits.
This concept is also called as epigenetics.
In Alaskan foxes and Himalayan rabbits, the black color of nose, ears, paws and tail depends upon temperature.
These animals become darker at very low temperature and lighter at high temperature.
Many characteristics present in animals such as pigmentation in Alaskan foxes and Himalayan rabbits, are inherited by many alleles present on different loci. This concept is called as polygenic inheritance.
The expression of many Gene's is strongly affected by the environmental conditions.
The genetic make up decides the range of quantitative characteristics but environmental conditions decide the phenotypic characteristics in animals.
Himalayan rabbits have a double copy of ch gene and Alaskan foxes have A and B Gene's and their allelic forms a and b.