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LeopoldBloom · M
A human is a member of the Homo sapiens species.
I once saw a question on Quora asking about human-animal hybrids. My answer was, it depends on whether you consider Neanderthals to be humans or animals. Many modern people have Neanderthal DNA; up to 4% in some cases. So if Neanderthals are classified as animals, these people would be human-animal hybrids. But if Neanderthals are a subspecies of Homo sapiens, then they would be human. The old classification had them as Homo neanderthalensis; a different species within the genus Homo. The new one has us as Homo sapiens sapiens and them as Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, where we are different subspecies of the same species.
I once saw a question on Quora asking about human-animal hybrids. My answer was, it depends on whether you consider Neanderthals to be humans or animals. Many modern people have Neanderthal DNA; up to 4% in some cases. So if Neanderthals are classified as animals, these people would be human-animal hybrids. But if Neanderthals are a subspecies of Homo sapiens, then they would be human. The old classification had them as Homo neanderthalensis; a different species within the genus Homo. The new one has us as Homo sapiens sapiens and them as Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, where we are different subspecies of the same species.
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pride49 · 31-35, M
@LeopoldBloom 😐
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DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@LeopoldBloom I would say: if there's the "ability" to reproduce, you must belong to the same species.
Therefore classifying Neanderthal as homo sapiens. It's the one chromosome that allowed us to reproduce with them.
We simply couldn't with any other species. Not even our next closet species which is the chimpanzees.
Therefore classifying Neanderthal as homo sapiens. It's the one chromosome that allowed us to reproduce with them.
We simply couldn't with any other species. Not even our next closet species which is the chimpanzees.
LeopoldBloom · M
@DeWayfarer I would say, the ability to reproduce and create fertile offspring. So humans and Neanderthals are the same species, while horses and donkeys aren't because their offspring is sterile.
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@LeopoldBloom yet a mule is still created. The end of the line is the mule.
DeWayfarer · 61-69, M
@LeopoldBloom you might be interested in this:
https://horses.extension.org/is-there-a-chance-that-a-mule-may-reproduce-if-bred/
Yes these are isolated case however.
https://horses.extension.org/is-there-a-chance-that-a-mule-may-reproduce-if-bred/
However, there are likely more cases of mules/hinnies reproducing than we know especially in developing countries. Most recent cases of mules producing foals have been documented in Morrocco (late 1990s), China (hinny that produced a foal named Dragon in the 1980s), and most recently, a mule bred to a jack in a pasture in Colorado in 2008.
Most documented cases of mules/hinnies being fertile have been in the female mule (molly/mare mule). A majority of male mules/hinnies are castrated, but one case of a fertile hinny producing live, mature spermatozoa was documented at Texas A&M in the 1950s.
Most documented cases of mules/hinnies being fertile have been in the female mule (molly/mare mule). A majority of male mules/hinnies are castrated, but one case of a fertile hinny producing live, mature spermatozoa was documented at Texas A&M in the 1950s.
Yes these are isolated case however.
LeopoldBloom · M
@DeWayfarer I didn't know that. Of course, it's not like there's a clear line between subspecies and species.