Tag: "vole"

Surviving Chromosomal Rearrangements

Surviving Chromosomal Rearrangements

Last blog I talked about the Transcaucasian mole vole. This little burrowing mammal has lost its Y chromosome over time. Now both males and females have only a single X. I focused on how scientists can't yet figure out how there are any male mole voles running around. This week, I want to focus on what this means from an evolutionary perspective.

 
Dr. Barry Starr

Post on Jul 21, 2008 by

Why no Y? Gender-bending Transcaucasian mole voles

Why no Y? Gender-bending Transcaucasian mole voles

I've always been fascinated by weird animals. Especially those with out-of-the-ordinary genetics. Transcaucasian mole vole. Image Courtesy of Heike HimmelreichOne of my favorites is a little burrowing mammal called a Transcaucasian mole vole. These guys live in the Caucasus Mountains of Armenia, Iran, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. There they are born, live, have babies and die. [...]

 
Dr. Barry Starr

Post on Jul 07, 2008 by