Question

north american gray wolves usually have mixed gray and white fur, but some members of the species have a version of a gene, or gene variant, that gives them a mostly black coat instead. sarah cubaynes and her team studied twelve populations of north american gray wolves. they found that the black - furred wolves are more common in areas where outbreaks of distemper virus happen regularly. the team also discovered that the black - furred wolves are more likely to be immune to distemper than the gray - furred wolves are. taken together, these findings suggest that ______ which choice most logically completes the text? choose 1 answer: a gray - furred wolves will soon replace black - furred wolves across north america. b the gene variant that results in black fur may be linked to immunity to the distemper virus. c north american gray wolves experience more outbreaks of distemper virus than other wolf species do. d the average life span of gray wolves is likely to increase over time because of a particular gene variant.

Explanation:

The text states black - furred wolves are more common in areas with regular distemper virus outbreaks and are more likely to be immune to distemper. This implies a connection between the gene variant for black fur and distemper immunity. Option A goes against the evidence as black - furred wolves seem to have an advantage in certain areas. Option C compares North American gray wolves to other wolf species which is not mentioned in the text. Option D talks about average lifespan which is not the focus of the given information.

Answer:

B. the gene variant that results in black fur may be linked to immunity to the distemper virus.