In a small population of sea lions, a mutation has resulted in large white spots on the normally dark brown animals.

Question

In a small population of sea lions, a mutation has resulted in large white spots on the normally dark brown animals. Over several generations, the sea lions with white spots have beeh a larger and larger percentage of the population until it seems like almost every sea lion in that small population has white spots. Which of the following options are possible reasons why this could have happened?
a. The white spot has provided an adaptive advantage to the sea lions that have that mutation.
b. Because it is a small population, genetic drift has selected for the white spot.
c. There is no impact on fitness of the white spot, and it has become more common in the population due to genetic drift.
d. The white spot is not heritable at all and is only increasing in the population because every new sea lion has a novel mutation in that gene.
e. The white spot is being selected for because it will be beneficial at some point in the future.
f. Female sea lions with white spots preferentially seek out male sea lions who also have white spots resulting sexual selection.

Kunduz · Accepted Answer

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