Same Genes, Different Rabbit

You'll learnhow one genotype produces different phenotypes in different environments, without the genes changing.

A Himalayan rabbit has dark ears, a dark nose, dark paws and a dark tail on a pale body, and every one of those cells carries the identical fur-colour genotype. Something other than the genes is deciding where the pigment goes. Eleven short steps; press Next for each one.

AP BIOLOGY · 11 STEPS · 6 QUICK CHECKS · PHENOTYPE = GENOTYPE × ENVIRONMENT · NORM OF REACTION · THE GENOTYPE NEVER CHANGES · v6

one genotype · a temperature that changes down the body · one coat each

Before you start

What you're looking at

A Himalayan rabbit with dark ears, nose, paws and tail, and a badge for the genotype every one of its cells shares.

The question

How can one genotype show two different coats on the same animal at the same moment?

Step 1 / 11