JasonL
Almost Legendary
With some of the current threads of late relating to sub species / species of snakes. I thought it may be benificial for some people to have a read and think about the meanings of these words, and how / where these snakes fit into these meaning...take from it what you will
"Species" Oxford Dictionary of Zoology meaning;
Literally, a group of organisms that resemble one another closely. The Latin name for "species" means 'appearance' or 'semblance'. In taxonomy, it is applied to one or more groups (populations) of individuals that can interbreed within the group but do not, under natural conditions, exchange genes with other groups (populations); It is an interbreeding group of biological organisms that is isolated reproductively from all other organisms. A species can be made up of groups in which members do not actually exchange genes with members of other groups (though in principle they could do so), as e.g. at the two extremes of a continuous geographical range. However, if some gene flow occurs along a continuum, the formation of another species is unlikely to occur. Where barriers to gene flow arise (e.g. physical barriers, such as sea, or areas of unfavourable habitat) this reproductive isolation may lead either by local selection or by random genetic drift to the formation of morphologically distinct forms ('races' or 'subspecies'). These could interbreed with other races of the same species if they were introduced to one another. Once this potential is lost, through some further evolutionary divergence, the races may be recognized as species, although this concept is not a rigid one. Most species cannot interbreed with others; a few can but produce infertile offspring; a smaller number may actually produce fertile offspring. The term cannot be applied precisely to organisms whose breeding behaiviour is unknown.
"Subspecies" Oxford Dictionary of Zoology meaning;
Technically, a race of a species that is allocated a Latin name. The number of races recognized within a species and the allocation of names to them is somewhat arbitary. Systematic and phenotypic variations do occur within species, but there are no clear rules for identifying them as races or subspecies except they must be: (a) geographically distinct; (b) populations, not merely morphospecies; and (c) different to some degree from other geographic populations.
So.... are you a Splitter, Lumper or fence sitter..... or do you just have no idea at all.
"Species" Oxford Dictionary of Zoology meaning;
Literally, a group of organisms that resemble one another closely. The Latin name for "species" means 'appearance' or 'semblance'. In taxonomy, it is applied to one or more groups (populations) of individuals that can interbreed within the group but do not, under natural conditions, exchange genes with other groups (populations); It is an interbreeding group of biological organisms that is isolated reproductively from all other organisms. A species can be made up of groups in which members do not actually exchange genes with members of other groups (though in principle they could do so), as e.g. at the two extremes of a continuous geographical range. However, if some gene flow occurs along a continuum, the formation of another species is unlikely to occur. Where barriers to gene flow arise (e.g. physical barriers, such as sea, or areas of unfavourable habitat) this reproductive isolation may lead either by local selection or by random genetic drift to the formation of morphologically distinct forms ('races' or 'subspecies'). These could interbreed with other races of the same species if they were introduced to one another. Once this potential is lost, through some further evolutionary divergence, the races may be recognized as species, although this concept is not a rigid one. Most species cannot interbreed with others; a few can but produce infertile offspring; a smaller number may actually produce fertile offspring. The term cannot be applied precisely to organisms whose breeding behaiviour is unknown.
"Subspecies" Oxford Dictionary of Zoology meaning;
Technically, a race of a species that is allocated a Latin name. The number of races recognized within a species and the allocation of names to them is somewhat arbitary. Systematic and phenotypic variations do occur within species, but there are no clear rules for identifying them as races or subspecies except they must be: (a) geographically distinct; (b) populations, not merely morphospecies; and (c) different to some degree from other geographic populations.
So.... are you a Splitter, Lumper or fence sitter..... or do you just have no idea at all.
