Zonkeys and Chromosomes

[Oxygen]

A user on a homework help forum is having trouble with how to solve this problem. She says she doesn't want the answer, just the info on how to solve it.

"A zebra and a donkey can mate to produce a zonkey. Zebras have diploid number of 46. Donkeys have a diploid number of 62."
1.How many chromosomes would zonkey receive from each parent?
2.What is the chromosome number of the zonkey?
3.What would happen when meiosis occurs in the zonkey's reproductive organs?
4. Predict why zonkeys are usually sterile.

Can anyone help?

 

[spuriousmonkey]

The info is actually all in the question.

 

[Fraggle Rocker]

I believe the established name for this hybrid is "zebrass." I saw them called that twenty years ago.

 

[Roman]

Through meiosis, two gametes are formed, which are haploid. That means they have half the number of chromosomes as the diploid cells.

When they form a zygote, they add their chromosomes together. That means have the diploid number from the zebra, and half the diploid number from the donkey.

23+31= 54.
The offspring will likely be infertile as their gametes will have 27 chromosomes.