Question

Which choice would be an example of a beneficial mutation?A dolphin has a smaller lung capacity. It does not live to reproduce.A mouse has darker fur color. It lives long enough to reproduce, but it does not pass this mutation on to its offspring.A giraffe has a shorter neck. It lives longer but does not pass this gene on to its offspring.A cheetah can run faster due to better muscles. It lives longer and passes on this gene to its offspring.

Answer 1

Beneficial mutation

Analyzing all the options one by one:

1) A dolphin has a smaller lung capacity. It does not live to reproduce.

In this case, the dolphin has a malignant mutation as it does not allow it to live long enough to reproduce.

2) A mouse has darker fur color. It lives long enough to reproduce, but it does not pass this mutation on to its offspring.

In this case, this might be the case of a somatic mutation, it seems to be a neutral mutation (it does not cause any beneficial or malignant outcomes) and it is not passed to the offspring.