Species confusion

[Epee_Pox]

A whale of one species mates with a dolphin of another species, resulting in fertile offspring. http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science....ap/index.html

Isn't that contrary to the definition of species? When is taxonomy going to catch up with reality?

[Elemental]

I seem to recall reading that it was possible for a lion and a tyger to breed.

(No, I did not base this off of Napoleon Dynamite)

[Zilverzmurfen]

I seem to recall reading that it was possible for a lion and a tyger to breed.

Yes, there was an article about that in a swedish paper just a while ago: Liger / Tion.

[Philistine]

A whale of one species mates with a dolphin of another species, resulting in fertile offspring. http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science....ap/index.html

Isn't that contrary to the definition of species? When is taxonomy going to catch up with reality?

Doesn't it have to be fertile offspring to be considered the same species?

Thus, lion+tiger=Liger, Horse+Donkey=Mule, Cow+Buffalo=Beefalo, but all of the offspring are sterile--so no violation of that definition of species.

--Philistine

[Epee_Pox]

The offspring of the whale and the dolphin was fertile, is the point.

[lochinvar]

In which case, taxonomy will have to change; the whale and dolphin species in question will be reclassified as sub-species of a single species.

Taxonomy is only as accurate as observation, and like all science is subject to revision in the light of new evidence.

[mrbiggs]

The offspring of the whale and the dolphin was fertile, is the point.

There are, VERY occaisionally, fertile mules, and I guess ligers as well. My bio teacher was of the opinion that these sort of things happen every once in a while, but it is very rare that there is offspring, and that they are fertile.

[ThatReallyHurt]

Ah, evolution. Neat stuff.

And, so I don't offend anyone:

Ah, God's will. Neat stuff.

Wait, just saying either of those two viewpoints may have offended someone - if this is the case, then I'll just say nothing, but then you won't know what I'm saying... yeesh, this is hard.

Wasn't it mentioned somewhere recently that intelligence in humans may have resulted from proto-humans getting some particular virus, and that virus dumping some particular genes or something into the human pool?

[Maeve_Mari]

The offspring of the whale and the dolphin was fertile, is the point.

I understood the point, but what I was confused about is that they sounded surprised that the offspring was fertile. In the story they say that this is the third calf from the Whalophin, so what's the issue with making the point again?

[Go? Fencing?]

Lion + tiger = lyger or tigon - depends on which parent was which species. When the mother is a lion, it's a lyger, when the mother is a tiger, it's a tigon.

[Elemental]

When the mother is a lion, it's a lyger, when the mother is a tiger, it's a tigon.

Not to be confused with the "Napoleon Dynamite" version of a lyger.



http://www.sessums.net/Liger.jpg

[neevel]

T'ain't natural- I think we need a Constitutional Amendment against it to protect the institution of reproduction.