In a rabbit pedigree following a recessive coat characteristic, one offspring is shaded and neither parent is. What can be stated about the alleles carried?
The shaded offspring has two recessive alleles, and neither parent has two dominant ones✓Correct answer
The shaded offspring has one allele of each kind, like both of its parents
One of the parents may carry two dominant alleles, because only one parent needs to supply the recessive allele
Both parents must show the characteristic themselves for it to appear
Explanation
A recessive characteristic appears only where both alleles are of the recessive kind, so the shaded animal must have received one such allele from each side. A parent holding two dominant alleles would have none of the recessive kind to give, so neither parent can be of that kind even though both look unaffected.