A species of fox lives in the arctic where the ground is covered in white snow most of the year. These arctic foxes hunt rodents and other small mammals, while their predators include eagles, wolves, and polar bears. A mutation in its DNA causes a fox to have white 'fur rather than brown. Given this information, would you classify this mutation as a harmful, beneficial, or neutral mutation? Would this make the fox more or less likely to survive? Explain your answer.

Question

A species of fox lives in the arctic where the ground is covered in white snow most of the year. These arctic foxes hunt rodents and other small mammals, while their predators include eagles, wolves, and polar bears. A mutation in its DNA causes a fox to have white 'fur rather than brown. Given this information, would you classify this mutation as a harmful, beneficial, or neutral mutation? Would this make the fox more or less likely to survive? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

This mutation can be classified as a beneficial mutation. The arctic fox's natural habitat is covered in white snow for most of the year, and the white fur provides better camouflage, allowing the foxes to blend in and remain undetected from both their prey and their predators.

With the white fur, the foxes are more likely to be successful hunters as they can stealthily approach their prey without being easily spotted. Additionally, it reduces the chances of being detected by predators like eagles, wolves, and polar bears, which rely on visual cues to locate their prey.

Therefore, the white fur mutation enables the foxes to have an advantage in their environment, improving their chances of survival. It increases their ability to hunt and reduces the likelihood of being preyed upon.