Xref: utzoo sci.bio:5175 talk.origins:15851
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!sdd.hp.com!news.cs.indiana.edu!noose.ecn.purdue.edu!mentor.cc.purdue.edu!mace.cc.purdue.edu!larsenp
From: larsenp@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Paul Larsen)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,talk.origins
Subject: Re: Crossing Humans and Chimpanzees
Message-ID: <7760@mace.cc.purdue.edu>
Date: 14 Jun 91 21:07:47 GMT
References: <1991Jun14.195209.12987@cs.cmu.edu>
Reply-To: larsenp@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Paul Larsen)
Followup-To: sci.bio
Organization: Purdue University
Lines: 21

In article <1991Jun14.195209.12987@cs.cmu.edu> vac@cs.cmu.edu (Vincent Cate) writes:
>
>No.  If A and B can not cross, then they are not of the same species.
>However, if they can cross it does not mean that they are the same
>species.  Look at dogs and wolves, or donkeys and horses.  So just
>having two different species (names and all!!) does not mean
>that they can not cross.  We name different species because the
>gene pools have been separated for some time (i.e. they have not
>been crossing (much) and have significant differences).  
>
Your understanding of speciation is faulty.  A species is defined as a
group of organisms which are able to VIABLY reproduce amongst themselves.
Therefore, we have different species because the gene pools have diverged
to the point where interspecific crosses do NOT produce viable offspring. If 2
separate types of organisms can produce viable offspring then I think that
they are classified as subspecies


				Paul

				larsenp@mace.cc.purdue.edu