Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Coragyps · 05-15-2003, 01:19 PM

A nice article here about light vs dark forms of mice, not moths, living on soil vs lava rock. And who'd of thought: it's genetic, and appears to illustrate natural selection!

Quote:

The group, led by Professor of ecology and evolutionary biology Michael W. Nachman, examined the coat colors of rock pocket mice. Most of the mice have light tawny fur, which blends in well with the desert granite substrates they typically inhabit. But scattered throughout the southwest are islands of black basaltic rock formed from not-so-ancient lava flows. Nachman's group collected pocket mice from two of these black rock islands--the Pinacate formation in southwestern Arizona and the Pedro Armendaris formation of New Mexico. Almost all of the mice collected from the volcanic formations had dark coats--the better to stay concealed from hungry owls, which can pick off mice from contrasting backgrounds even at night.

Peez · 05-15-2003, 01:58 PM

But they are still mice!!!

(you knew somebody would say that)
Peez

Deadbeat · 05-15-2003, 03:29 PM

And besides, the photographs were staged. The mice were stapled to the rock and sand.

Oolon Colluphid · 05-16-2003, 06:00 AM

Sounds revolting. I far prefer sugar mice.

MortalWombat · 05-16-2003, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Oolon Colluphid
Sounds revolting. I far prefer sugar mice.

Bah, a True Evolutionist never puts sugar on his mouse.

Duvenoy · 05-16-2003, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MortalWombat
Bah, a True Evolutionist never puts sugar on his mouse.

My Rattlesnake does not like sugar on her mice. Or pepper either, for that matter. I myself, prefer them barbequed with a good, hot sauce, followed by beer.

doov

KC · 05-16-2003, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Duvenoy
My Rattlesnake does not like sugar on her mice. Or pepper either, for that matter. I myself, prefer them barbequed with a good, hot sauce, followed by beer.

doov

Forget the mouse. Nothing beats a rat tart.

KC

Oolon Colluphid · 05-16-2003, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by KC
Forget the mouse. Nothing beats a rat tart.

Apart from rat cake, rat sorbet or rat pudding. Or strawberry tart.

simian · 05-16-2003, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MortalWombat
Bah, a True Evolutionist never puts sugar on his mouse.

Couldn't a Lamarckian evolutionist put sugar on his mouse in order to pass on a "sweetness trait"?

Simian

MortalWombat · 05-16-2003, 10:57 AM

::sigh:: No one got my No True Scotsman joke.

05-16-2003, 06:00 AM	#4
Oolon Colluphid Contributor Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Alibi: ego ipse hinc extermino Posts: 12,591	Re: Pepper mice??? Sounds revolting. I far prefer sugar mice.

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05-15-2003, 01:58 PM	#2
Peez Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Canada Posts: 5,504	But they are still mice!!! (you knew somebody would say that) Peez

05-15-2003, 03:29 PM	#3
Deadbeat Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 1,238	And besides, the photographs were staged. The mice were stapled to the rock and sand.

05-16-2003, 10:57 AM	#10
MortalWombat Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: St Louis area Posts: 3,458	::sigh:: No one got my No True Scotsman joke.

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