Question

How do mutation affect the traits of an animal?

Answer 1

A mutation could be a change during a DNA sequence. Mutations may end up from DNA copying mistakes made during cellular division, exposure to radiation, exposure to chemicals called mutagens, or infection by viruses.

Complete answer:
A mutation may be a change in DNA, the hereditary material of life. An organism's DNA affects how it's, how it behaves, and its physiology. So a change in an organism's DNA can cause changes in all told aspects of its life.

Usually there are 3 ways within which a mutation can affect a trait of an animal; mutation effects will be
A) Neutral, that is, the mutation doesn't cause any change;
B) Negative, where the change caused by the mutation may be detrimental for the animal;
C) Positive, where the change caused by the mutation can give a bonus to the animal.

The last two effects play a significant role in evolution; when the mutation causes a positive effect, there's an increased probability that the animal (or the plant) will reproduce and pass it to their offspring (their fitness is increased). When the mutation contains a negative effect, the probability of survival and reproduction of the animal is reduced (their fitness is reduced), and consequently it'll be likely that this mutation is negatively selected, thus disappearing from the population.

Note: Mutations may be inherited and thus passed on from one individual to a different. If a mutation causes a replacement phenotype that produces an organism better suited to a specific environment, it can result in rapid change within the characteristics of the individuals in this species.