Question

About 80% of the alleles present in thoroughbred horses can be dated back to 31 known ancestors from the late eighteenth century. As a result, one would expect _____

A. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium.
B. low rates of mutation.
C. little variation in physiology and behavior.
D. random mating.
E. many polymorphic alleles.

Answer 1

Answer: E.

Explanation: The fact that about 80% of the alleles in thoroughbred horses can be traced back to a small number of ancestors suggests a lack of genetic diversity in the population. Inbreeding and selective breeding practices have led to a reduction in the number of alleles present in the population, resulting in a limited gene pool. This reduced genetic diversity is likely to result in a higher frequency of specific alleles and a lower number of polymorphic alleles, as seen in the case of thoroughbred horses.