Which of the following pedigree symbols represents a mating between relatives (consanguineous marriage)? (NEET 2025)
Correct answer: A —
In pedigree charts, consanguineous marriage (mating between relatives) is represented by a double horizontal line connecting the male and female symbols. This special symbol indicates that the mating partners share common ancestors and are blood relatives, which increases the risk of recessive genetic disorders in offspring.
In human genetics, pedigree study provides a strong tool, which is utilised to trace the inheritance of a specific trait, abnormality or disease. Some of the important standard symbols used in the pedigree analysis have
Pedigree analysis is a key tool in human genetics to trace inheritance patterns of traits, diseases, and abnormalities across generations. NTA tests students' understanding of standard pedigree symbols: squares for males, circles for females, filled shapes for affected individuals, and half-filled for carriers. The main trap is confusing carrier symbols (heterozygous individuals) with affected individuals, or misidentifying consanguineous marriages (shown by double lines). To ace this, memorize that horizontal lines connect couples, vertical lines show parent-child relationships, and the specific fill pattern indicates disease status. Practice reading multi-generational pedigrees carefully to trace autosomal and X-linked inheritance patterns correctly.
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