Group No: ________ Section: D11E

Name: Mayuga, Ma. Rianne Jasmine P. Score: ________________

Exercise 1
Variations in Organisms

1. Etherize some flies from a culture of wild Drosophila melanogaster and place them on a
sheet of white paper. Using a dissecting microscope or hand lens. Distinguish between a
male and a female fruit fly. Complete the table below.
Sex differences in D. melanogaster
Features Male Female
a. Overall size Smaller Bigger
b. Color of the posterior end Darker and bigger Dark posterior end
posterior end
c. Banding patterns Fewer bands More stripes
d. Sex combs on forelegs Has tiny hairs on the No combs present
tarsus
e. Shape of tip of abdomen Round Sharp
f. External reproductive organ Testicles are visible on Less visibility of the genitals
ventral surface

2. Similarly, etherize some flies from cultures of white-eyed and ebony mutant strains of
Drosophila melanogaster and compare their morphological differences with each other
and with the wild strain. Tabulate your data.
Morphological variations in different strains of D. melanogaster
Features Wild Ebony White-eyed
a. Wings Normal wings Normal wings Whiter wings
b. Eye Color Reddish-orange Darker red color White eyes instead
color compared to of reddish-orange
normal color
c. Banding Patterns Black rings Barely visible black Black rings
rings
d. Body Color Normal brownish- Darker in color, Normal brownish-
yellow color almost black body yellow color
e. Body Size Normal body size Normal body size Shorter in size

3. Obtain several varieties of Musa paradisiaca (banana) and several species of Citrus and
tabulate below their differences.
Morphological variations in M. paradisiaca
Variety
Features
Bungulan Cavendish Lakatan Latundan Señorita
a. Color Green in color, Bright yellow Yellow Plate yellow Bright yellow
even when ripe Orange
b. Length Long Long Medium Small Small
c. Shape Slightly curved Slightly Slightly Thick and Thick
curved curved pointy end
d. Taste Sweet Sweet and a Sweet and a A bit sour Sweet
bit sour bit sour
e. Texture Moist Hard Moist and Soft and Soft
soft squishy

Morphological variations in Citrus sp.

Variety
Features
Calamansi Dalandan Lemon Oranges Tangerine
a. Color Green Green Yellow Orange Orange
b. Length Small Medium Medium Medium - Small -
Large Medium
c. Shape Circular Circular Circular/Oblong Circular Circular/Flat
d. Taste Sour Sour Sour Sweet Sweet and
Sour
e. Texture Moist Dry Moist Moist Moist

4. For each group, obtain the fingerprints of all the members and determine the pattern
for each print whether it is whorled, arched looped, or other (Refer to figure 1). To
facilitate analysis, of the pattern, place all fingerprints in the table provided below, and
indicate the type of pattern on the blank for each fingerprint. Afterwards, tabulate the
class results. (NOTE: Each person will have a total of 10 fingerprints to identify. Class
data would therefore comprise the total number of students per each pattern divided
by the total number of students times 100 percent.)

Figure 1. Different patterns of fingerprints

Left Hand
 __Loop_____ __Loop_______ ___Whorl____ ______Loop_____ ____Loop__________

Right Hand

__Whorl__ ____Loop____ ___Loop_______ __Whorl____ ___Loop_____

Class data on fingerprints

Patterns Number Percent (%)
Arch 15 4.29
Loop 219 62.57
Whorl 116 33.14
Other 0 0.00
Total 350 100.00%

5. Each member of the group will bring to class a family picture, which will then be
submitted to the instructor. The instructor will then ask each student to draw a picture
at random; making sure the student will not get his/her own picture. Attach the picture
below.

Classmate’s Name: _________________________________

a. Which of your classmate’s features resemble those of the father? The mother?

All throughout my childhood, I have been told that I resemble my father. We share
similar characteristics like black hair, brown eyes, the shape of our face, or even our
exuberant disposition. I think that it’s a compliment to be lookalike of my father. Growing
up, I always afraid of my father. Maybe it was his deep voice or the way that he would scold
me. As I grew up older, I began to gain my own voice, and notice specific features of my dad
that I could personally connect with.

Questions:
1. What is variation?

- Variation is the presence of differences in sequences of genes between individual

organism or a species. It enables natural selection, one of the primary forces driving
the evolution of life.

2. Differentiate continuous variation from discontinuous variation. Give examples

from features that were analyzed in this exercise.

- Continuous variation is the kind of genetic variation where a certain trait exhibits a
continuous range of phenotypes. It is typically the form of genetic variation that is
most prevalent and controlled by presence of numerous genes. The weight and
length are examples of continuous variation. The second sort of genetic variation, on
the other hand, is known as discontinuous variation, and it occurs when a given
character only exhibits a few phenotypes. The range of phenotypes for a single trait
is therefore represented by the continuous and discontinuous variance.

3. What is the importance of variation?

- Variation is important because it causes evolution and is the basis of heredity. It is

advantageous to a population as it enables few individuals to adapt to the
environment changes thus, enabling the survival of the population.

4. What are the causes of genetic variation? Give specific examples. (Use the back page
for additional space.)

- The major causes of genetic variation include mutation, gene flow, and sexual
reproduction.

 DNA Mutation causes genetic variation by altering the genes of individual

in a population.
  Gene Flow leads to genetic variation as new individual with different gene
combination migrate into a population.

 Sexual reproduction promotes variable gene combinations in a

population leading to genetic variation

- Example of genetic variation include eye color, blood type, camouflage in animals,
and leaf modification in plants.