What is the primary characteristic of incomplete dominance?

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Study for the UCF BSC1005 Biological Principles Exam. Explore exam formats, detailed questions and answers with explanations to enhance understanding. Get ready for your exam with confidence!

The primary characteristic of incomplete dominance is the blending of parental phenotypes. In this type of inheritance, neither allele is completely dominant over the other, resulting in a phenotype that is a mix of the traits represented by both alleles. For example, in a flower color scenario, if one parent has red flowers and the other has white flowers, the offspring might display pink flowers. This blending illustrates how incomplete dominance differs from complete dominance, where one allele fully masks the expression of another. The phenomenon emphasizes the intermediate expression of traits, providing a clear distinction in phenotype that reflects contributions from both alleles.