Gene gray eastern gray squirrel
Gene gray eastern gray squirrel
Eastern gray squirrel diet.
commonly asked questions:
Eastern grey squirrels come in a variety of color morphs, including grey and black. All individuals contain a gene, MC1R, that controls how much dark pigment is added as a squirrel’s hairs grow.
When a tiny piece of DNA is missing from this gene, it boosts the production of dark pigment and makes the fur darker. It’s a small genetic difference but can have major implications for squirrel fitness and survival.
want to know more?
What is the genetic difference between black and gray squirrels?
Black and gray squirrels are only different based on one gene.
Alleles are variations on DNA sequences at a specific location on a chromosome (usually different forms of the same gene).
Gene gray eastern gray squirrel diet
The allele for squirrel fur color has two different possible sequences – one that codes for gray fur and one that codes for black fur. Each squirrel has two copies of this allele. If a squirrel has two copies of the gra