Responses
A grandparent exhibits the trait, and the child inherited it directly from that person.
A grandparent exhibits the trait, and the child inherited it directly from that person.
The trait is recessive, and the child inherited a recessive allele from each parent.
The trait is recessive, and the child inherited a recessive allele from each parent.
A mutation occurred, and the child exhibits a new trait due to the mutation.
A mutation occurred, and the child exhibits a new trait due to the mutation.
The parents have recessive alleles, and the child inherited a dominant allele.
1 answer
The most likely explanation for a child exhibiting a heritable trait that neither parent exhibits is:
The trait is recessive, and the child inherited a recessive allele from each parent.
This scenario accounts for the fact that both parents can carry a recessive allele for a trait without expressing it themselves, while the child can express the trait if they inherit the recessive allele from both parents.
