Step-by-step explanation:
The evolution of the rock pocket mouse is a great example of how natural selection can lead to the adaptation of a species to its environment. The mutations that occurred on the Mc1r gene allowed some individuals of the population to have a different fur coloration than the rest of the population. This new fur coloration provided a selective advantage to the mice living in the darker volcanic rock environment.
The darker fur of the rock pocket mouse provided camouflage against predators, allowing them to blend in with the dark rocks and avoid being seen. This made them less likely to be preyed upon by predators such as owls and snakes, which hunt by sight. As a result, the mice with the darker fur were more likely to survive and pass on their genes to the next generation.
Over time, as the population of the rock pocket mouse continued to be exposed to predation, the proportion of individuals with the darker fur coloration increased. This is because the individuals with the darker fur coloration were more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on their advantageous traits to their offspring. Eventually, the population became dominated by individuals with the darker fur coloration, and the rock pocket mouse became a distinct species.
This process, in which mutations that provide a selective advantage become more common in a population over time, is known as natural selection. In the case of the rock pocket mouse, the mutations that occurred on the Mc1r gene allowed the mice to adapt to their environment and avoid predation, ultimately leading to the evolution of a new species.