Sex-linked traits

Skill 4: Determine the gender of the offspring as well as their status for the selected trait using the practice problems at the bottom of this page. (Check your answers before the quiz.)

Sex-linked traits (also called X-linked traits)

In humans, the 23rd pair of chromosomes determine the sex, or gender, of the offspring.

'XX' = female (girl)

'XY' = male ('Y' is 'guy stuff')

Most sex-linked traits are carried on the 'X' chromosome, not on the 'Y,' so we will focus on x-linked traits.

XH The capital H represents the dominant allele

Xh The lowercase h represents the recessive allele

Y Y is 'guy stuff' and carries no copy of the allele

XH Xh If there is one capital H and one lowercase h, this is called a carrier female. She is not affected by the recessive trait, but she carries the allele and can pass it to her offspring. It is especially important to track carriers of diseases.

Complete the page below in your packet, then ask for the answer key to check your work.

Complete these practice problems on blank paper to make sure that you can set up problems for yourself.

For each problem, write a key, the cross, the Punnett square, and the genotypes and phenotypes of offspring.

1. Hemophilia is a sex-linked recessive trait. Cross a carrier female with a male who has the bleeding disorder.

2. Male patterned baldness is a sex-linked recessive trait. Cross a normal female with a bald male.


Bring your problems to me to ensure that you are setting them up correctly.

Ask me for the answer key to check your work in the packet.