In a population of mice, individuals with medium brown fur are less likely to be seen by predators than light brown and dark brown mice. What type of selection is this, and what would the distribution curve for the mouse population look like?

Question

In a population of mice, individuals with medium brown fur are less likely to be seen by predators than light brown and dark brown mice. What type of selection is this, and what would the distribution curve for the mouse population look like?

A. disruptive; two peaks at either end of the graph with a dip in the middle
B. disruptive; a tall, narrow peak in the center of the graph
C. stabilizing; two peaks at either end of the graph with a dip in the middle
D. stabilizing; a tall, narrow peak in the center of the graph

Answer 1

A. disruptive; two peaks at either end of the graph with a dip in the middle

In disruptive selection, individuals with extreme traits are favored over individuals with intermediate traits. In this case, medium brown mice are at a disadvantage compared to light brown and dark brown mice, leading to a bimodal distribution with peaks at the extreme ends (light brown and dark brown) and a dip in the middle (medium brown).