Two researchers experimentally formed tetraploid frogs by fertilizing diploid eggs from Rana porosa brevipoda with diploid sperm from Rana nigromaculata. When they mated these tetraploid frogs with each other, most of the offspring that survived to maturity were tetraploid, with chromosome sets of both diploid parent species. Based on these results, if this type of tetraploid formed in the wild, what would be the result? (Y. Kondo and A. Kashiwagi. 2004. Experimentally induced autotetraploidy and allotetraploidy in two Japanese pond frogs. Journal of Herpetology 38(3):381-92.)
A) The two parent species would interbreed and fuse into one species.
B) The two parent species would recognize each other as mates.
C) The tetraploids would be reproductively isolated from both parent species.
D) The tetraploids would be selected against.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that the tetraploids are able to mate with each other and produce mostly tetraploid offspring suggests that they may be reproductively isolated from both parent species. This means that they would not be interbreeding with either parent species and would likely form their own distinct population. It is not mentioned in the study whether or not the parent species would recognize the tetraploids as mates, and there is no evidence to suggest that the tetraploids would be selected against.

Two Researchers Experimentally Formed Tetraploid Frogs by Fertilizing Diploid Eggs