In human skin color inheritance, controlled by three polygenes (), an individual with genotype exhibits an intermediate skin color termed:

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. Mulatto

  1. Step 1: Human skin pigmentation is a classic polygenic (quantitative) trait discovered by C. Davenport.
  2. Step 2: The trait is governed additively by three distinct gene pairs: , and . Homozygous dominant produces the darkest pigmentation, while homozygous recessive produces the lightest pigmentation.
  3. Step 3: An individual with three dominant and three recessive alleles () has an intermediate melanin concentration known as mulatto.
Answer
Mulatto.
Why not the others: Albino has a complete absence of melanin pigment due to tyrosinase deficiency ( or metabolic mutation); Pure dominant black has genotype ; Chimeric mosaic describes individuals composed of cells derived from different zygotes.

Practise more Genetics: Principles of Inheritance and Variation.

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