Complex Inheritance Patterns Worksheet

(use this to review for our quiz next class)

1. A cross between a purebred animal with red hairs and a purebred animal with white hairs produces an
animal that has both red hairs and white hairs. What type of inheritance pattern is involved?

2. Suppose you mate a black rooster with a white hen. The feathers of all the offspring are “gray,” a color
that is intermediate between black and white. Explain the inheritance pattern in these chickens.

3. In humans, wavy hair (CS) results by the co-dominant situation of curly hair (C) and straight hair (S).
What are the possible results if a curly-haired man and wavy-haired woman have children.

4. In crocus flowers, white (W) and purple (P) colors are co-dominant, and result in a purple and white
striped flower when both genes are present. What are the possible results from the cross-pollination of a
striped crocus with a white crocus?

5. In cattle, red (r) is incompletely dominant over white (w) hides. Roan in the name of the color that
results from incomplete dominance. What are the possible results if a white male mates with a roan
female?

6. Inheritance of the palomino coat color in horses is a result of incomplete dominance. White horse is DD,
a chestnut horse is dd, and a palomino horse is Dd. What is the expected percent of coat colors in the
offspring of two palomino horses?

7. A baby has blood type AB. If the baby’s mother has blood type B, what blood type(s) could the father
have?

8. A couple just brought home their new baby from the hospital. They begin to suspect that the hospital
switched babies, and the baby they brought home is not theirs. They check the hospital records, and find
that the man’s blood type is B, the woman’s blood type is AB, and the baby’s blood type is O. Explain
why the parents are or are not justified in their concern about this baby