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Inherited Traits Definition

Inherited traits are characteristics passed down from parents to offspring. For example, eye color is a trait from both mother and father.

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Variation of Traits

LESSON MATERIALSmove

Fun Facts

  • Puppies from the same parents have different fur color and snout shapes because they inherit a mixture of traits from mom and dad.
  • Some traits are also influenced by the environment, like poison dart frogs getting their poison from insects they eat.
  • Every living thing has traits that make it unique, like the stripe patterns that tigers inherit from their parents.

Why Do We Need To Know About Inherited Traits

Learning about traits passed down from parents to their children helps us understand how animals survive. For example, being able to see predators or hide using camouflage are traits that help animals live longer in the wild.

This information is useful for many jobs. Knowing how traits like the size of alligators are passed down can help people who breed animals or work in genetics. Also, understanding how the environment affects our genes is important for those in nutrition and healthcare.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do the puppies look different from their mom and dad?
The puppies look different from their mom and dad because they have inherited traits from both the mom and the dad. Each puppy inherited slightly different traits.
What are some examples of types of traits?
Common examples of traits you can see include eye color, height and hair color in humans. In the puppies, common examples include fur color, ear shape, tail length, size and snout length.
How might the position of a baby alligator’s eyes affect its chance of survival?
If one alligator’s eyes are positioned so that it can see more than another, it may be more likely to survive because it can better detect predators.
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