#1 Evolution at Work: 'Freaky' Mouse

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 15:33:33 -0400
adaptation, algerian, community-news-and-opinion, european, evolution, freaky, gene, health-wellness-and-safety, hybrid, mice, mouse, pesticides, poison, resistance, resistant, selection, super, teaching-and-learning, trait, warfarin

The European house mouse is very distantly related to its cousin the Algerian mouse. Many of the hybrids that form are not viable. However, there are some exceptions: sometimes, when the European house mouse and the Algerian mouse mate, they produce offspring with the advantageous gene that gives them a distinct advantage: resistance to the pesticide warfarin. Surely, this must be an issue of concern. And I don't think bringing cats into the picture will eliminate mice from households.