In cats, black coat (B) is codominant with yellow (b). The coat color gene is on the X chromosome. Calico cats, which have coats with black and yellow patches, are heterozygous for the coat color alleles.

a. Why are most calico cats females?

b. A calico female, Pickle, had a litter with one yellow male, two black males, two yellow females, and three calico females. What were the genotype and phenotype of the father?

a. X chromosomes can house a color each

b. Father is yellow (b)

Explanation:

Since calico is a co-dominant trait the female which is XX can show both of these colors. Males are XY and only have a single X so they will show only one color at a time and can pass along one trait at a time. In this case the female calico will be able to produce either a yellow male or a black male. The father does not contribute to coat color.

Since yellow females are produced this means that they got two yellow traits. If only one yellow gene is from the mother then the other yellow gene is from the father. This makes the father yellow. (b).

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