NEETZoologyPrinciples of Inheritance and Variation
In a certain insect species, the females possess 32 chromosomes in their somatic cells while the males possess 16 chromosomes. The males develop from unfertilized eggs and produce gametes by mitosis. Which of the following terms correctly identifies this specific mechanism of sex determination?
Options
- AXX-XO type of sex determination
- BZZ-ZW type of sex determination
- CEnvironmental sex determination
- DHaplodiploid sex-determination system
Correct answer
D. Haplodiploid sex-determination system
Step-by-step solution
The scenario describes a system where females are diploid (32 chromosomes) and males are haploid (16 chromosomes). Since males develop from unfertilized eggs, they are haploid and must produce gametes by mitosis to maintain the chromosome number. This mechanism, where sex is determined by the number of sets of chromosomes an individual receives, is called the haplodiploid sex-determination system. The XX-XO type is found in grasshoppers, where males have one less chromosome than females but both are diploid. The ZZ