Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks us to identify the specific mechanism of sex determination that is characteristic of butterflies.
Step 2: Key Concept and Approach:
Sex determination systems vary across animal taxa.
While mammals and some insects use the XX-XY or XX-XO systems (where males are heterogametic), birds, reptiles, and many lepidopterans (butterflies and moths) utilize systems where females are heterogametic (such as ZZ-ZW or ZZ-ZO).
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
• Heterogametic Females: In butterflies, females are the heterogametic sex, meaning they produce two different types of gametes with respect to sex chromosomes.
• ZZ-ZO System: In many butterfly species, females have only one sex chromosome (designated as ZO), while males have two identical sex chromosomes (designated as ZZ).
• Offspring Outcome: During gametogenesis, males produce sperm containing only Z chromosomes.
Females produce two types of eggs: $50\%$ containing a Z chromosome, and $50\%$ containing no sex chromosome (O).
An egg with a Z chromosome fertilized by a Z sperm develops into a male (ZZ), whereas an egg with no sex chromosome fertilized by a Z sperm develops into a female (ZO).
Step 4: Final Answer:
Thus, the sex determination system in butterflies is of the ZZ-ZO type, corresponding to Option (D).