Generally, animals build an organism using the diploid number of chromosomes. However, insects in the order of ants, wasps and bees can use a haploid-diploid system where adults of one sex are formed with a haploid number of chromosomes. This would mean that
A) a single set of chromosomes is sufficient to code for a functional individual.
B) a female could determine the sex of the offspring by fertilizing or not fertilizing an egg.
C) the males and females are not equally "related" to their mothers considering the proportion of genes held in common.
D) All of the choices are true.
E) this system in no way differs from regular diploid organisms.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

All of the choices are true. In the haploid-diploid system of ants, wasps, and bees, a single set of chromosomes can indeed code for a functional individual (haploid males), females can determine the sex of the offspring by choosing whether or not to fertilize an egg (unfertilized eggs become males, fertilized eggs become females), and males are more closely related to their mothers than females are, as males inherit all of their mother's genes (haploid), while females inherit a mix of genes from both parents (diploid).

Generally, Animals Build an Organism Using the Diploid Number of Chromosomes