Question

[Mister Emu]

Species is a breeding term correct, a group of creatures that can breed basically?

I am pretty sure that is what I have been taught... anyways...

Can a creature belong to two species at once?

 

[Real Sorceror]

Hmm. The term "species" is a little wishy-washy. Its usually used to refer to a group of organisms that can breed successful. This is problematic, though. Nobody considerd Tigers and Lions to be the same species, but they can breed (though the offspring are sterile).
To my knowledge, an organism cannot belong to two different species, although depending on who you ask, certian organisms may be classified differently.

 

[SoyLeche]

Hmm. The term "species" is a little wishy-washy. Its usually used to refer to a group of organisms that can breed successful. This is problematic, though. Nobody considerd Tigers and Lions to be the same species, but they can breed (though the offspring are sterile).

I thought that part of the deal was that their offspring had to be able to reproduce, or something like that. I don't really now anything about it though

 

[Real Sorceror]

I thought that part of the deal was that their offspring had to be able to reproduce, or something like that. I don't really now anything about it though

Maybe. I know that dogs are classified as a sub-species of wolf because wolves and (most) dogs can produce fertile young.
In most other cases of two species producing offspring (that I know of), the young are sterile.

 

[michel]

Species is a breeding term correct, a group of creatures that can breed basically?

I am pretty sure that is what I have been taught... anyways...

Can a creature belong to two species at once?

I don't know if this article will help you:-The Two Species of Homo Sapiens

 

[Rough_ER]

Species = a taxonomy group whose members can reproduce (produce fertile offspring)

 

[Flappycat]

Species is a breeding term correct, a group of creatures that can breed basically?

I am pretty sure that is what I have been taught... anyways...

Can a creature belong to two species at once?

No. A species is a group of organisms that consistently share distinct characteristics that clearly set them apart from other species.

 

[Rough_ER]

No. A species is a group of organisms that consistently share distinct characteristics that clearly set them apart from other species.

That's a much better definition actually, I stand corrected.

 

[SoyLeche]

No. A species is a group of organisms that consistently share distinct characteristics that clearly set them apart from other species.

The only "distinct characteristic" that I've seen spelled out in any definition I've looked at (and it's a "distinct characteristic" that is in all of the definitions I've looked at) is that they can reproduce with one another.

 

[Gentoo]

A species, as I learned it is a group of genetically similar individuals who are reproductively isolate to produce viable offspring.

So by that defination, no something cannot be of two species.

 

[Halcyon]

No. A species is a group of organisms that consistently share distinct characteristics that clearly set them apart from other species.

Hmmm, i would actually say that Rough_ER's definition is better. Grizzly and panda bears share distinct ursine characteristics, but cannot produce viable offspring together.

Species as a classification is wishy-washy, as someone else put it. The line between species and race is also blurry.
Two kinds bats here in the UK were once thought to be the same species, as they look exactly the same. Upon closer inspection it was realised that they did differ slightly physically, and more importantly, didn't interbreed.

Another case i learnt about in uni, is that of what were thought to be two species of herring gull (i think), since they look very different. But when they were actually studied in depth it was shown that they can interbreed successfully and produce fertile offspring, so they are in fact two races of a single species.

 

[Quiddity]

So it seems that the ability to interbreed is the main motivator. Subspecies is the only other thing that is the lowest in scientific classificaiton. Is there any species that can't interbreed and are categorized under the same species?

 

[zombieharlot]

Is there any species that can't interbreed and are categorized under the same species?

I was thinking a mule.

 

[Gentoo]

I was thinking a mule.

Mules are not viable offspring since they are sterile, i.e. cannot pass on their genes to further the "species".

 

[zombieharlot]

Mules are not viable offspring since they are sterile, i.e. cannot pass on their genes to further the "species".

Ah, I read Victor's post wrong. But still, is a mule not a species of its own?

 

[Gentoo]

Ah, I read Victor's post wrong. But still, is a mule not a species of its own?

Not really. The definition, whichever you think is best, always deals with reproduction, if something can't further it's own genetic code (think of all of the horses and donkeys out there in the world, hundreds of combonations) then it can't survive beyond itself.

 

[Halcyon]

Is there any species that can't interbreed and are categorized under the same species?

No, unless there has been a silly mistake on the part of the taxonomist (which does happen).

 

[painted wolf]

Species are populations that reproduce successfully and with consitant heritable characteristics. ie, Horses look like horses, zebra like zebra.
Even though a Shire looks different from an Arabian they share more characteristics than they differ on, plus a mix between the two is just a "mutt" horse.

Hybrids are rarely fertile, but Mules, Ligers and so on occasionally are born fertile. However they do not reproduce consistantly and thus do not have the oportunity to "fix" thier traits in a stable form.

selective breeding can exagerate traits, but given the chance to breed naturally the exagerations dissapear and the 'normal' form becomes aparent. Mutt dogs for instance look more like 'wolves' than 'purebreeds'

wa:do

 

[fantome profane]

Species = a taxonomy group whose members can reproduce (produce fertile offspring)

This is a good working definition, but in some cases things can get a bit muddled.

I don’t think mules are considered separate species because mules cannot reproduce with other mules (but I am not sure about that). The point is horses and donkeys are not the same species even though the can reproduce, because their offspring is infertile.

When you get down to microorganisms however things are not always so clear.

 

[painted wolf]

not with other mules but they are sometimes fertile with Horses or Donkies.
Same with Zebroids.

wa:do