What is a heterozygous genotype?

A heterozygous genotype is defined as having two different alleles for a particular gene. This means that an individual carries one allele from one parent and a different allele from the other parent for the specific trait being observed. For example, if one parent contributes an allele for brown eyes and the other parent contributes an allele for blue eyes, the resulting genotype would be heterozygous.

This genetic diversity can lead to a range of phenotypic expressions, especially when one of the alleles is dominant over the other. Understanding the concept of heterozygosity is fundamental in genetics, as it plays a crucial role in how traits are inherited and expressed in offspring. In contrast, the other options either describe identical alleles or provide a misrepresentation of allelic combinations, which do not align with the definition of heterozygosity.