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For some wolves, a black coat isn’t just fashionable—it’s a lifesaverA gene for black fur protects against distemper virus, making black wolves more attractive.https://www.science.org/content/article/some-wolves-black-coat-isn-t-just-fashionable-it-s-lifesaverThousands of years ago, wolves bred with black dogs. The tryst didn’t just give some of today’s wolves a black coat—it has also helped them survive in parts of North America where a measles-like virus can run rampant, according to a new study. That’s because gray wolves are more likely to mate with black wolves when this virus is present—a rare demonstration in the wild of how pathogens can drive evolution.“This paper takes a very elegant approach to understanding a fundamental question in biology: how animals choose mates,” says Rena Schweizer, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Montana, Missoula, who was not involved with the work.