Synapsis is characteristic of:

Options

A. leptotene
B. zygotene
C. pachytene
D. diakinesis

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Synapsis**: Synapsis is a crucial process that occurs during meiosis, specifically during the first meiotic division (meiosis I). It involves the pairing of homologous chromosomes.

2. **Identifying the Stage of Meiosis**: Meiosis I consists of several stages, and synapsis occurs during prophase I. Prophase I is further divided into several sub-stages.

3. **Sub-stages of Prophase I**: The sub-stages of prophase I are:
- Leptotene
- Zygotene
- Pachytene
- Diplotene
- Diakinesis

4. **Locating Synapsis**: Among these sub-stages, synapsis specifically occurs during the zygotene stage. This is where homologous chromosomes begin to pair up and form synaptonemal complexes.

5. **Conclusion**: Therefore, the correct answer to the question "Synapsis is characteristic of:" is **B. Zygotene**.

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