Biology (11th Edition)

Published by McGraw-Hill Education
ISBN 10: 1259188132
ISBN 13: 978-1-25918-813-8

Chapter 12 - Patterns of Inheritance - Figure 12.15 - Data Analysis - Page 236: 1

Answer

Epistasis is occuring, leading the albino locus to mask the action of the black/brown locus in some individuals. This causes a modified ratio.

Work Step by Step

Whenever a ratio doesn't match the simple, expected Menedelian genetic ratio, such as 9:3:3:1 in this case, some non-Mendelian phenomenon must be occurring. In this case, one locus is affecting the other, essentially pushing the second 3 in the list of probabilities into the double homozygous(albino)-produced phenotype.
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