In a hypothetical situation, a certain species of flea feeds only on pronghorn antelopes. In rangelands of the western United States, pronghorns and cattle often associate with one another. If some of these fleas develop a strong preference for cattle blood and mate only with other fleas that prefer cattle blood, then over time which of these should occur, if the host mammal can be considered as the fleas' habitat

OPTIONS:

1. reproductive isolation

2. sympatric speciation

3. habitat isolation

4. prezygotic barriers

All of the above

Explanation:

First, let us consider the definition of the above listed terms in the question and see each come to play in the hypothetical situation.

Reproductive isolation occurs when two similar species become prevented from mating together as a result of environmental barriers. This can be seen in the flea population, as they become separated by ecological barrier, since some now live on pronghorn antelopes, while others live on cattle.

Sympatric speciation is a speciation that occurs when new species evolved from an ancestor that they share the same geographical region together, but dwell in overlapping different ecological area.For example, fleas that have preference for cattle blood evolved from pronghorn antelopes fleas, as their ancestor. The two species both dwell in overlapping ranges but still in the same rangeland.

Habitat isolation is a barrier that prevents two species from interbreeding as a result of differences in where they live. For example, fleas on cattle cannot interbreed with fleas on pronghorn antelopes.

Prezygotic barriers are reproductive mechanisms that prevent fertilization. Habitat isolation is an example of prezygotic reproductive mechanism that prevents fertilization to take place between fleas on cattle and fleas on pronghorn antelopes.

an individual’s sex (i.e., whether they are a male or female) is determined by the sex chromosomes. most people have two sex chromosomes, one that is inherited from their mother and one that is inherited from their father. typically, females have two x chromosomes (xx) and males have one x chromosome and one y chromosome (xy). conditions caused by changes (“mutations”) in genes located on the x chromosome are considered x-linked.

x-linked recessive inheritance

most x-linked conditions are recessive. this means that in a person with two x chromosomes (most females), both copies of a gene (i.e., one on each x chromosome) must have a change or mutation whereas in a person with one x chromosome (most males), only one copy of a gene must have a mutation. a female with a mutation in one copy of a gene on the x chromosome is said to be a “carrier” for an x-linked condition. a male with a mutation in a gene on the x chromosome is typically affected with the condition. because females have two copies of the x chromosome and males have only one x chromosome, x-linked recessive diseases are more common among males than females. however, x-linked recessive diseases can occur in both males and females.

for x-linked recessive disorders, an unaffected carrier mother who has a mutation in a gene on the x chromosome can transmit either the x chromosome with this mutation or a “normal” x chromosome to her children. if the father is unaffected, none of her daughters will be affected and all of her daughters will be unaffected—since they will inherit at least one normal x chromosome from their father. however, each daughter will have a 50% chance of being an unaffected carrier like her mother and a 50% chance of both x chromosomes being normal.

what in the weirdo : o