Question

Describe the process of sex-determination in honeybees.

Hint:

The haplodiploid system of sex determination in honeybees is key to understanding the social structure of the colony.

Answer 1

The sex-determination system in honeybees is unique, as it follows a system known as the haplodiploid system, which is different from the XY or XX system seen in many other species. Step 1: Basic Mechanism.
- Haplodiploidy means that males are haploid (having only one set of chromosomes) and females are diploid (having two sets of chromosomes). - The queen bee lays both fertilized and unfertilized eggs: - Fertilized eggs develop into female bees (workers or queens). - Unfertilized eggs develop into male bees (drones).
Step 2: Chromosome Determination.
- In females (workers and queens), the egg is fertilized by sperm from the male drone. The fertilized egg receives one chromosome set from the mother and one from the father, making it diploid. - In males (drones), the egg is not fertilized, so the egg only contains the mother's genetic material, making the male haploid (one set of chromosomes).
Step 3: Queen and Drone Differentiation.
- The queen bee and worker bees are both female, but their roles are determined by diet during the larval stage. A female larva that is fed a special diet called royal jelly will develop into a queen, while the others develop into worker bees.
Final Answer: In honeybees, males are haploid (developing from unfertilized eggs), while females are diploid (developing from fertilized eggs). The queen's fate is determined by diet during the larval stage.