Editing Hinny (section)

== Description ==

The hinny is the offspring of a stallion and a jenny or female donkey, and is thus the [[reciprocal cross]] to the more common mule foaled by a jack (male donkey) out of a [[mare]]. Like the mule, the hinny displays [[hybrid vigour]] (heterosis).{{r|cabi|p=36}}

In general terms, in both these hybrids the foreparts and head of the animal are similar to those of the sire, while the hindparts and tail are more similar to those of the dam.{{r|cabi|p=36}} A hinny is generally smaller than a mule, with shorter ears and a lighter head; the tail is tasselled like that of its donkey mother.{{r|cabi|p=37}}

The distinct [[phenotype]]s of the hinny and the mule are partly attributable to genomic imprinting – an element of [[epigenetics|epigenetic inheritance]].<ref name="HunterP">{{Cite journal |pmc = 1866201|year = 2007|last1 = Hunter|first1 = Philip|title = The silence of genes. Is genomic imprinting the software of evolution or just a battleground for gender conflict?|journal = EMBO Reports|volume = 8|issue = 5|pages = 441–443|pmid = 17471258|doi = 10.1038/sj.embor.7400965}}</ref> Hinnies and mules differ in temperament despite sharing [[nuclear genome]]s; this too is believed to be attributable to the action of imprinted genes.<ref name="WangX">{{Cite journal |last1=Wang |first1=Xu |last2=Miller |first2=Donald C. |last3=Harman |first3=Rebecca |last4=Antczak |first4=Douglas F. |last5=Clark |first5=Andrew G. |year=2013 |title=Paternally expressed genes predominate in the placenta |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |volume=110 |issue=26 |pages=10705–10710 |doi=10.1073/pnas.1308998110 |pmc=3696791 |pmid=23754418|bibcode=2013PNAS..11010705W |doi-access=free }}</ref>