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Invisible <voi### [at] dev null> wrote:
> On 12/01/2011 04:12 PM, Warp wrote:
> > Invisible<voi### [at] dev null> wrote:
> >> If you can't, take a look at dogs. Some kinds can't interbreed with each
> >> other, if only due to huge differences in size. Humans did that.
> >
> > I don't think that is what defines a species. It's about genetics.
> How about this: There are two species of grasshopper that never
> interbreed. The females of species A ignore the songs of males of
> species B. However, if you mute the male and play back a recording of a
> male of species A, the two will mate, and produce viable offspring. It's
> just that this only ever happens in the lab.
The definition of species is related to genetics, not to behavior.
> Similarly, there are probably classes of birds where you could do the
> same thing by putting coloured visors over the bird's eyes, or moths
> where you could mask one chemical pheromone with another. Are these
> separate species?
It's about genetics, not about behavior.
> You can apparently mate a lion with a tiger, producing either a "liger"
> or a "tiglon". (Go look them up.) But this never happens in the wild (as
> far as we know). Are these separate species?
The offspring must be fertile. Ligers and tigons aren't.
--
- Warp
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