NEETZoologyPrinciples of Inheritance and Variation
What can be inferred about the paternal lineage of male honey bees in terms of reproduction?
Options
- AMales can pass traits to their sons
- BMales inherit traits only from their fathers
- CMales do not pass traits to their sons but can have grandsons
- DMales have no influence on their descendants
Correct answer
C. Males do not pass traits to their sons but can have grandsons
Step-by-step solution
The sex determination in honey bee is based on the number of sets of chromosomes an individual receives. An offspring formed from the union of a sperm and an egg develops as a female (queen or worker), and an unfertilised egg develops as a male (drone) by means of parthenogenesis. This means that the males have half the number of chromosomes than that of a female. The females are diploid having 32 chromosomes and males are haploid, i.e., having 16 chromosomes. This is called as haplodiploid sex-determination system