The sex of a crocodile embryo is determined by the temperature at which fertilised eggs are incubated. This means sex determination in crocodiles is:
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 01:02 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Answer: B — Determined by environmental cues, not genes
Since crocodile sex depends on incubation temperature (an environmental factor), not chromosomes or genes, it is determined by environmental cues, not genetic inheritance.
Source: Chapter 8, Section 8.2.4 – Sex Determination
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Explanation
- The passage explicitly states: "in some animals like a few reptiles, the temperature at which fertilised eggs are kept determines whether the animals developing in the eggs will be male or female."
- This is contrasted directly with human sex determination, which is genetically determined (XX/XY).
- Options A, C, and D all relate to genetic/chromosomal mechanisms — these apply to humans, not crocodiles.
- Key examiner tip: The word "environmental cues" from the textbook is the exact phrase to recall here.