Final answer:
The transmission of behavior from female mice to their offspring due to environmental influences is an example of epigenetic inheritance, which affects gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phenomenon in which female mice trained to avoid a negative stimulus can pass this behavior on to their offspring is known as epigenetic inheritance. This type of inheritance involves the transmission of information from parent to offspring through mechanisms other than the underlying DNA sequence.
Epigenetic changes can be influenced by environmental factors and can affect gene expression without altering the genetic code itself. In the example provided, the exposure of a pregnant rat to a toxin resulted in illnesses in the offspring, and when those male offspring grew up and mated, their own pups exhibited the same maladies despite the mothers not being exposed to the toxins. This showcases that epigenetic patterns of gene expression caused by the toxin were retained in the germ line cells and passed on.