Standard3a: autosomal punnett squares
How is coat color in rabbits inherited?
Name_________________________
Period _______ Date ____________
Coat color in rabbits is inherited as a series of multiple alleles. This means that there can be more
than just two alleles for a single gene. In the case of coat color in rabbits, there are four alleles,
and each one is expressed with a different phenotype.
Examine the table below and use this information to answer the questions. Remember, each
rabbit can have only two alleles for coat color.
Table 1 Coat color in rabbits
Phentoype Allele Pattern of Inheritance
Dark gray coat C Dominant to all other alleles
Chinchilla cch Dominant to Himilayan and to white
Himalayan ch Dominant to white
White c recessive
1. List all possible genotypes for a:
a. dark gray-coated rabbit (there are 4) _____ _____ _____ _____
b. chinchilla rabbit (there are 3) _____ _____ _____
c. Himalayan rabbit (there are 2) _____ _____
d. white rabbit (there is 1) _____
2. Predict the genotypes and phenotypes produced from a cross between a rabbit with chcch and
one with Ccch . Explain your answer. (Show your work)
3. Would it be possible to obtain white rabbits if one parent is white and the other is chinchilla?
Explain your answer. (Show your work)
4. Would it be possible to obtain chinchilla rabbits if one parent is Himalayan and the other is
white? Explain. (Show your work)
5. A chinchilla rabbit is mated with a Himalayan. Some offspring are white. What are the
parents’ genotypes? (Show your work)
Teacher’s Notes
Standard3a: autosomal punnett squares
How is coat color in rabbits inherited?
Name_________________________
Period _______ Date ____________
Coat color in rabbits is inherited as a series of multiple alleles. This means that there can be more
than just two alleles for a single gene. In the case of coat color in rabbits, there are four alleles,
and each one is expressed with a different phenotype.
Examine the table below and use this information to answer the questions. Remember, each
rabbit can have only two alleles for coat color.
Table 1 Coat color in rabbits
Phentoype Allele Pattern of Inheritance
Dark gray coat C Dominant to all other alleles
Chinchilla cch Dominant to Himilayan and to white
Himalayan ch Dominant to white
White c recessive
1. List all possible genotypes for a:
a. dark gray-coated rabbit (there are 4) CC, Ccch, Cch, Cc
b. chinchilla rabbit (there are 3) cchcch, cchch, cchc
c. Himalayan rabbit (there are 2) chch, chc
d. white rabbit (there is 1) cc__
2. Predict the genotypes and phenotypes produced from a cross between a rabbit with chcch and
one with Ccch . Explain your answer. (Show your work)
Genotypes: 25% Cch, 25% Ccch, 25% cchch, 25% cchcch
phenotypes: 50% dark gray, 50% chinchilla
3. Would it be possible to obtain white rabbits if one parent is white and the other is chinchilla?
Explain your answer. (Show your work)
Yes, crossing cc X cchc
4. Would it be possible to obtain chinchilla rabbits if one parent is Himalayan and the other is
white? Explain. (Show your work)
No, because there is no allele cch
5. A chinchilla rabbit is mated with a Himalayan. Some offspring are white. What are the
parents’ genotypes? (Show your work)
cchc X chc