Haplo-Diploidy

Haplo-Diploid genetic relationships in bees

In colonial Hymenoptera such as bees, female reproductive queens and non-reproductive workers are diploid, and male drones [with pointy abdomens] are haploid. If a queen is fertilized by a single drone, all female offspring will receive the same set of alleles (black-ticked chromosomes) from the drone, and will share half their alleles from the queen with any other worker. Thus female workers are related by 0.5 to the queen (or drone), and 0.5 + (0.5 x 0.5) = 0.75 to each other. Workers are more closely related to each other than to either parent, and gain an evolutionary advantage in helping 'sisters' to survive.

HOMEWORK: The diagram illustrates haplo-diploidy with three chromosome pairs. Is the genetic relationship shown between the two female workers in the second line completely accurate? Why or why not? Re-draw the diagram with four chromosome pairs, so as to make the diagram completely accurate.


Text material © 2021 by Steven M. Carr