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The rock pocket mouse is found mainly in rocky areas of the deserts of the southwestern United States. Most of these mice have light brown fur that allows them to blend in with the desert rocks where they live. However, there is an area of New Mexico with black rock left over from old volcanic eruptions. Scientists discovered that many of the rock pocket mice living on the black volcanic rock have dark fur. What is the best explanation for this phenomenon

User Gpgekko
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Final answer:

Rock pocket mice have dark fur on black volcanic rock in New Mexico due to natural selection where the dark fur provides a selective advantage in camouflaging with the dark rocks to protect from predators.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best explanation for the phenomenon of rock pocket mice having dark fur on black volcanic rock in an area of New Mexico is natural selection. In this case, the dark fur color provides a selective advantage in blending in with the dark rocks, making the mice less visible to predators. Over time, through the process of natural selection, individuals with dark fur were more likely to survive and reproduce, passing on the dark fur trait to future generations.

User Godfrey
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Answer:

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