The "F" stands for "filial".



Definition of "filial" from www.dictionary.com:

1. Of, relating to, or befitting a son or daughter: filial respect.

2. Having or assuming the relationship of child or offspring to parent.

3. Genetics. Of or relating to a generation or the sequence of generations following the parental generation



Sometimes F1, F2, etc. is used for the number of generations captive bred.



In genetics, where the F numbers originated, it refers to the number of generations after the parental generation. The parental pair are unlike, and their offspring are the F1 generation. F2s are the offspring of a brother x sister (usually) mating of F1s. F3s are the offspring of a pair of F2s. These may or may not come from a brother x sister mating. There is seldom any good reason for going past F2s in a genetics project, and there are good reasons for outbreeding to relatively unrelated stock.



Sometimes, F numbers are used to sound scientific. In such cases, the result is pseudoscientific instead.



I don't have a clue as to the original poster's intent in this case.



Paul Hollander

[ Show Entire Thread ]