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w chromosome

(Science: genetics) A sex chromosome found in all birds and certain other animals where the female is the heterogametic sex. The W chromosome causes the individual to become female in bird species. It is part of the WZ set of sex chromosomes, where the female has one W chromosome and one z chromosome, and the male has two Z chromosomes. The equivalent of the mammal Y chromosome that is found in birds, like the comparison of X and Z chromosomes respectively.