Reference no: EM131134972

Two distinct phenotypes are found in the salamander, Plethodon cinereus: a red form and a black form. Some biologists have speculated that the red phenotype is due to an autosomal allele that is dominant over an allele for black. Unfortunately, these salamanders will not mate in captivity; so the hypothesis that red is dominant over black has never been tested.

One day a genetics student is hiking through the forest and finds 30 female salamanders, some red and some black, laying eggs. The student places each female and her eggs (about 20-30 eggs per female) in separate plastic bags and brings them back to the lab. There, the student successfully raises the eggs until they hatch. After the eggs have hatched, the student records the phenotypes of the juvenile salamanders, along with the phenotypes of their mothers. Thus, the student has the phenotypes for 30 females and their progeny, but no information is available about the phenotypes of the fathers.

Explain how the student can determine whether red is dominant over black with this information on the phenotypes of the females and their offspring.