Mutations

Mutations are special physical characteristics that occur naturally, but sometimes rarely. A seed can have zero mutations, or all of them (very unlikely). Whether or not a seed has mutated genes is determined by a random number generator. Here are the types of mutations currently known and their natural occurrence rates:

Special fertilizers available in the store can be used on a seedling when it is growing (anytime after pollination and before the flower opens) to increase the possibility of a mutation. Each fertilizer makes a mutation ten times more likely! Note: you are only allowed to use fertilizers on seeds that are "wild" - meaning the parents are unknown, or on seeds who's parents do not visibly show or carry any mutations.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Examples: (remember 1 fertilizer makes a mutation 10 times more likely, so all you have to do is multiply the mutation rate by 10!)

*****Use 1 ‘rumpus’ fertilizer = (1/10 mutation rate) x (10) = 1/1

So... there is a 100% chance (1/1) the baby will show the rump patch mutation.

*****1 ‘crepuscula’ fertilizer = (1/100 mutation rate) x (10) = 1/10

In order to make the odds 1/1 you will need 2 crepuscula fertilizers.

*****1 ‘tigirs’ fertilizer = (1/1000 mutation rate) x (10) = 1/100

In order to make the odds 1/1 you will need 3 tigris fertilizers.

These examples are for wild seeds purchased from events or for breeding seeds who do not visibly show or carry any mutations.

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Mutations and Breeding:

Mutations are hereditary and the genes for these mutations can be passed on to the next generation. All mutations are recessive. Here are the hypothetical breeding events:

Visible Mutation x Visible Mutation = 100% visible mutation offspring

Visible Mutation x wild type = 100% mutation carrying offspring

Visible Mutation x mutation carrier = 50% visible, 50% carrier offspring

Mutation carrier x mutation carrier = 25% visible, 50% carrier, 25% wild type

Mutation carrier x wild type = 50% carriers, 50% wild type

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Discovery!

Fueled by backpackers' rumors of male Kaiers with fantastically decorative plumage:

After some preliminary studies - our research group has confirmed a rare recessive X-linked mutation in the wild Kaier population. This mutation displays a type of mimicry of the birds coexisting with certain Kaier populations. Mimicry, usually a defensive adaptation to avoid predators, is observed in a variety of organisms. As of yet, our team of scientists is unsure of the adaptive significance of this mutation.

One seed specimen has been collected from the wild and is maturing in captivity for closer observation.

Here is how recessive X-linked traits work:

The mutation is on the X-chromosome. (Seed Ponies are a strange mix of plant and animal, but like mammals – females have two X chromosomes, and the males have one X and one Y chromosome.) In females the mutation works like a normal recessive trait – the trait is only displayed in a female with two mutated X-chromosomes, which is very rare. The males however, only need to have one mutated X-chromosome to show the trait because they don’t have another non-mutated X-chromosome (dominant) to cover the trait.

Note: The red X's in the diagrams carry the mutation.

Mother	Father	Diagram	Offspring
Wild type-no mutations	Visible mutation		50% Carrier females 50% wild type males
Carrier	Wild-type -no mutations		25% Carrier females 25% wild type males 25% wild type females 25% visible mutation male
Carrier	Visible mutation		25% Carrier females 25% wild type males 25% visible mutation male 25% visible mutation female
Visible mutation	Visible mutation		50% visible mutation females 50% visible mutation males
Visible mutation	Wild-type-no mutations		50% carrier females 50% visible mutation males

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- Bird buddies are feathered friends that grow up with your seed pony.

- Bird buddies are heritable for three generations. This means that the offspring of first generation and second generation seeds with bird buddies will also have bird buddies. (The offspring of third generation seeds will not have bird buddies.)

-Species does not depend on the species of the parent. (If your seed pony's bird buddy is a cardinal its offspring will not have a cardinal bird buddy.)