So far this is the third or fourth post in like 3 days I've read on this. I could just post a link to the other answers, but I'm really really bored, so here goes:

Ruthvens DNA: RRRRRRRR
Alterna DNA: aaaaaaaa

The F1's would all have the same DNA as each parent passes on 1/2 of theirs.

F1's DNA: RaRaRaRa

Those now also pass on q/2 their DNA. That could be any of the following as it is random.

Poss sperm/egg: RRRR, RRRa, RRaa, Raaa, aaaa

Crossing this back to a pure Alterna you would get these results:

aaaaaaaa X RaRaRaRa =

aaaaRRRR 50/50 (same as RaRaRaRa)
aaaaRRRa 62.5/37.5
aaaaRRaa 75/25
aaaaRaaa 12.5/87.5
aaaaaaaa 100%

Therefore the babies would be anywhere from 50/50 to 100% Alterna, and BOTH sources you got your info from (75% Alterna, or 62.5% Alterna) are correct, yet wrong at the same time. This is because it is possible to get either percentage in any one baby, but you will never know how much of either is actually in any of them.

Also note that there are MANY more codons than just 8 in snakes, so these numbers are just representatives of the possible outcomes.

Joseph

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