Dragon Genetics Worksheet #1:

“I’m All Keyed Up”

Instructions
Refer to the key below, and answer the following questions.

Dragon Key

Upper case letter represent dominant alleles;

lowercase letters represent recessive alleles
N = LONG NECK
n = short neck E = RED EYE
e = white eye
H = HORN PRESENT
h = horn absent F = FIRE BREATHING
f = not fire breathing
G = GREEN BODY
g = grey body L = LONG TAIL
l = short tail
S = SPIKES ON END OF TAIL
s = no spikes on end of tail R = RED WINGS
r = yellow wings
T = THREE TOES
t = four toes W = YELLOW BELLY
w = white belly
B = BLACK TAIL SPIKES
b = red tail spikes K = FRECKLES
k = no freckles
X = X chromosome / no ear frills
(XX = female) Y = Y chromosome / ear frills present
(XY = male)

1. What letters are used to represent wing color? R and r

2. What letters are used to represent neck length? N and n
3. The letter “Y” is used as a symbol to represent- the Y chromosome or ear frills present.
4. The letter “e” is used to represent – white eye
An upper case, or capital, letter is used to represent a dominant trait. A lower case, or small,
letter is used to represent a recessive trait. Dominant traits completely mask and/or suppress
recessive traits.
Refer to the key, and answer the following questions.
5. List six dominant traits shown in the key.
Horn present, three toes, freckles, black tail spikes, yellow belly, red wings.
6. List six recessive traits shown in the key.
Short tail, short neck, not fire breathing, white belly, four toes, and yellow wings.

Dragon Genetics Worksheet #2

“Would Someone Please Take Charge?”

INSTRUCTIONS
Using the key from Worksheet #1 as a reference, fill in the missing symbols for alleles
(genotypes) or descriptions of physical appearance (phenotypes) in the table below. The first
two rows are done for you. Remember, dominant traits appear when either one or two copies of
the dominant allele are present. For example, “NN” and “Nn” both cause the dragon’s neck to
be long. Only in the case of “nn” would the dragon’s neck be short because no dominant allele
for a long neck is present.

Trait Symbols for Alleles Appearance

Neck size NN or Nn Long neck
Neck size nn Short neck
Spikes on tail?ss No spikes
Eye color EE Red Eye
Horn? (present or absent) hh absent
Fire breathing? FF or Ff Breathes fire
Belly color WW or Ww Yellow
Color of spikes bb Red
Tail length Ll or LL Long

Activity 3: Do Your Ears Hang Low?

Introduction

The combination of alleles inherited from your parents is called a genotype. When a
person exhibits a dominant trait, he/she probably does not know his/her genotype for that trait.
Take, for example, the genetic trait of tongue rolling. A tongue rolling allele (R) is dominant; a
non-tongue rolling allele (r) is recessive. The alleles you have for that trait could be identical.
For example, you may have received a tongue rolling allele (R) from both you mom and dad; in
that case, you would also be a tongue roller, with a genotype of “RR”. Or you may have
received a non-tongue rolling allele (r) from both your mom and dad; in that case you would not
be able to roll you tongue and your genotype would be “rr”. In either case, when both alleles for
a trait are identical, they are referred to as homozygous, from the Greek words “homo” (meaning
“same”) and “zygote” (from “zygoun”, meaning “to join”). A zygote is a cell that is formed at
conception, by the union of two gametes (egg and sperm).
 Sometimes the combination of alleles inherited from your parents is different. For
example, you may have received a tongue rolling allele from you mom, but not your dad. In this
case, your genotype would be “Rr”. This combination of alleles is referred to as heterozygous,
from the Greek words “hetero” (meaning “different”) and “zygote”.

The important thing to remember is that both “RR” and “Rr” will result in a tongue rolling kid. In
a simple inheritance pattern involving two alleles, it is only necessary to receive one copy of the
dominant allele to exhibit the dominant trait. A person who exhibits a dominant trait will
probably not know his/her genotype for that trait. On the other hand, a person who exhibits a
recessive trait always knows what his/her genotype is because no dominant allele is present.

Follow the directions indicated on the chart on Worksheet #3 to determine if you are
dominant or recessive for certain traits. Once this has been established, predict what your
possible genotype(s) is/are.

Dragon Genetics Worksheet #3:

“Do Your Ears Hang Low?”

Instructions

Activity 3: Are you dominant or recessive for this trait? Based on your phenotype, try to
determine whether you are dominant or recessive for each of the traits listed below. For each
trait, read the statement, perform the test or task if necessary, and then, in the first column, write
whether you are “dominant” or “recessive” for this trait, and try to predict your genotype in the
second column. Are you dominant or recessive for this trait? My possible genotype(s) for
this trait is/are:
1. SBT Paper – Taste the paper your teacher gave you. Sodium benzoate taste paper is
used as a diagnostic tool in medicine. The ability to taste the chemical is a dominant trait.
People who cannot taste this chemical are recessive for the trait. (T or t) Dominant TT or
Tt
2. TONGUE ROLLING - Can you roll your tongue into a U shape (like a taco shell)? If so,
you are dominant for this trait. If you cannot roll your tongue into a U shape, you are recessive
for this trait. (R or r) Recessive rr
3. EARLOBES – It is a dominant trait to have earlobes that hang down. A person who has
earlobes attached directly to the side of his/her head is recessive for this trait. (L or l)
Dominant LL or Ll
4. EARBUMP – Some people have a bump, called a Darwin’s ear point, on the inside rim of
the upper part of the ear ridge. If you have the bump it is due to the presence of a dominant
allele. If you are lacking the bump you are recessive for the trait. (B or b) Recessive Bb
5. WIDOW’S PEAK – If your hairline forms a downward “V” in the middle of your forehead,
you have a widow’s peak. (Good examples of widow’s peaks can be found on TV character
Eddie Munster and most depictions of vampires.) A widow’s peak is caused by a dominant
allele. A straight or even hairline indicates you are recessive for this trait. (V or v)
recessive vv
6. HITCHHIKER’S THUMB – People who can bend the last joint of their thumbs back to a
90 degree angle are dominant for hitchhiker’s thum. Those who lack this ability are recessive
for this trait. (H or h) Dominant HH
7. POLYDACTYLY – If you were born with more than five fingers or toes on either of your
hands or feet, you possess a dominant trait for polydactyly. Having five fingers and toes is a
recessive trait. NOTE: In the US, most peole with extra toes and fingers usually have them
removed shortly after birth. (P or p) Recessive pp
8. SYNDACTYLY – Having webbed fngers and toes is a dominant trait. Sometimes only a
pair of fingers or toes is webbed. If you have fingers and toes that are separated from one
another, then you are recessive for this trait. (S or s) Recessive ss
9. CLEFT CHIN – If you have an indentation in the middle of your chin you have a cleft
chin. (Actor John Travolta has a prominent cleft chin.) A cleft chin is a recessive trait. The
absence of a cleft chin is a dominant trait.(C or c) Recessive cc
10. HAIR WHORL – Ask a friend to look at the back of your head to determine if your hair
whorls to the right (clockwise) or to the left (counterclockwise). (If you use hairspray or gels on
your hair this may be hard to determine.) A clockwise whorl is a dominant trait; a
counterclockwise whirl is a recessive trait. (W or w)Dominant WW or Ww

Definitions:
Gene: a section of DNA that codes for a specific protein or RNA sequence, e.g., we all have a
gene that codes for a hair-color determining protein.

Allele: An individual variant of the gene, e.g., people with 2 alleles for blond hair color will be
blonde, but a person with one or more alleles for dark hair color will be brunette. Dominant
alleles are denoted by capital letters (B = brown hair allele) and recessive alleles are denoted by
lowercase letters (b = blonde hair).

Genotype: An individual’s combination of alleles, e.g., a blonde’s genotype for hair color is two
blonde alleles (bb). The genetic identity of the person.

Phenotype: The physical result of the genotype. What is displayed blonde hair or brown hair.