[Campbell Biology P.347] In the haplo-diploid system of bees, how does a male bee develop, a... | Practice Question

In the haplo-diploid system of bees, how does a male bee develop, and what is a key consequence of this for his genetic relationship to his mother?

  • A: He develops from a fertilized egg and shares 50% of his genes with his mother.
  • B: He develops from an unfertilized egg and shares 100% of his genes with his mother.
  • C: He develops from an unfertilized egg and is genetically identical to his mother.
  • D: He develops from a fertilized egg and has no father.

Explanation

The text states that in the haplo-diploid system, males develop from unfertilized eggs and are haploid. Since the egg is produced by the diploid queen via meiosis, it contains exactly half of her genes. Because the male develops directly from this haploid egg without any genetic contribution from a father, he shares 100% of his genetic material with the set of genes present in that specific egg from his mother.