F is for... oh dear...

[darwins_fox]

Bio Geek Fact of the Day:

As I look for a species in the letter F whose species epithet is the same as the genus name (so the full species name is the same name twice... see previous posts, beginning with Alces alces), I encounter the genus Felis .

Felis is the genus of the small cats

Comments

[thenymph]

Hey there. I'm friending you -- I think we may have met once or twice at Tau, though you probably don't remember me. ;)

I'm currently (hopefully) a bio-geek-in-training, so I'm enjoying the bio geek facts. :)

[darwins_fox]

Assuming that is you in the pic with J., I do indeed remember you! Hello! What're you interested in studying/where?

[thenymph]

Yup, that's me. :) *waves*

I'm currently just taking intro bio/chem classes at Cal State-Northridge. I *think* I want to do something epidemiology-related...or evolutionary biology...or genetics... Haven't really decided yet. ;)

[icescorp]

About that white hair and blue eye cat gene-

My mother (who knows all because she is a science news addict) was telling me about that gene. That particular gene, with those particular symptoms, can be found across a wide range of mammal species.

Dogs with abnormally white hair, and blue eyes, often go deaf at a young age.

As well, humans that are born with natural white streaks in their hair also go deaf.

It's very interesting, actually, to think how far back this gene must go to affect so many species.

[darwins_fox]

It's very interesting, actually, to think how far back this gene must go to affect so many species.

Indeed... If it evolved in the ancestral mammals, then it has been about for, say, 200 million years.

The gene could even pre-date mammals; the protein(s) involved could well have been around in even earlier ancestors, and just happen to be involved in coat color in mammals.