One author I read described the genetics of foot morphology in cats as there being an "Add another toe" gene or genetic sequence. At least one version of this gene replicates a whole new copy of itself each time a tom with the gene sires kittens...
So the tom might only have +1 toes, but if he has the "replication" version and sires kittens out of a queen with +1 toes (possibly one of his descendants), the result is +1 +1 toes. If he then sires kittens out of a queen from the +1 +1 toes litter, the result is +1 +1 +1 toes. The colony they were studying got up to IIRC +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 toes (incestuously) before the tom with "+1 toes prime" finally disappeared and the number of toes stabilized.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-11-22 06:34 pm (UTC)So the tom might only have +1 toes, but if he has the "replication" version and sires kittens out of a queen with +1 toes (possibly one of his descendants), the result is +1 +1 toes. If he then sires kittens out of a queen from the +1 +1 toes litter, the result is +1 +1 +1 toes. The colony they were studying got up to IIRC +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 toes (incestuously) before the tom with "+1 toes prime" finally disappeared and the number of toes stabilized.
Cats are freaky.