The fur in a species of mice ranges from white to black (intermediate phenotypes are different shades of gray). A population of these mice lives in an environment that contains both regions of white sand and regions of black lava rocks. When a scientist examines the frequencies of the different alleles in the population, she finds that, although white mice and black mice are common, gray mice are rare. This is an example of _____ selection.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In disruptive selection, extreme phenotypes are favored over intermediate phenotypes, leading to a bimodal distribution in the population. In this case, the extreme phenotypes of white and black mice are favored over the intermediate gray mice, resulting in a rare frequency of gray mice in the population.

The Fur in a Species of Mice Ranges from White