Short legged sheep Formafantasma, Oltre Terra NAM Nasjonalmuseet, Oslo NO Ancon sheep were domestic sheep with long bodies and short legs, with crooked forelegs. This term refers to the line of sheep that were bred from a single affected lamb born in Massachusetts in 1791. This lamb became extinct in 1876 when it was no longer necessary. It was believed that this breed of sheep reduced the need for tall fences, as well as the number of lost sheep. Furthermore, the sheep were unable to run due to their short legs. This resulted in them being less active, more gentle, and gaining weight more rapidly than other sheep breeds. Ancon sheep are significant to the history of biology because Charles Darwin used them to support the argument that animals inherit parental traits without blending. As far back as Darwin, many breeders of plants and animals assumed that their offspring would inherit traits from both parents. Sheep were adversely affected by the Ancon mutation for a number of reasons. Among these were loose joint articulations in the legs, abnormal spines and skulls, flabby subscapular muscles, and crooked inwardly bent forelegs that resembled elbows while the sheep walked. The Ancon sheep are a living example of a dramatic, recurring mutation perpetuated by artificial selection. Sources: 1 - K. V. Schwartz, J. G. Vogel, “Unraveling the yarn of the ancon sheep”, BioScience (1994) 2 - J. Bergman, “Ancon Sheep: Just Another Loss Mutation”, Journal of Creation (2003) Images: 1 - E. B. Gerard, A normal ewe (left), an ancon ram (right), and their short-legged offspring (center), The LIFE Picture Collection (1947) #formafantasma #oltreterra #nasjonalmuseet #NAMoslo #design #research #shortleggedsheep @nasjonalmuseet