Asexual Speciation: Distinguishing Species of Asexual Organisms

  • Thread starter Thread starter Archosaur
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
Distinguishing species of asexual organisms poses challenges not present in sexual species, as traditional definitions based on reproductive capabilities are often inadequate. The definition of species has evolved to focus on populations with high genetic similarity, but this approach can be subjective and lacks clear objectivity. The discussion highlights the complexities involved in categorizing asexual organisms and the limitations of current definitions. Participants express a mix of understanding and concern regarding the subjectivity of these criteria. Overall, the conversation underscores the need for more precise methods in species classification for asexual organisms.
Archosaur
Messages
333
Reaction score
4
It's easy to distinguish species of sexual organisms, but how do we distinguish species of asexual organisms?
 
Biology news on Phys.org
Archosaur said:
It's easy to distinguish species of sexual organisms,
Quite often it isn't.

The defn "species = can reproduce" isn't always very accurate however useful it is .

It's been replaced by the more accurate but pretty useless defn = "populations of organisms that have a high level of genetic similarity"
 
mgb_phys said:
high level of genetic similarity"

Wow, that's pretty subjective...
Now I see what all the fuss is about.

I was a little afraid it would be something like that, haha.
(Not that I can think of a more objective rule)

Thanks for the info!
 

Thread 'Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)'

https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/body-dysmorphia/ Most people have some mild apprehension about their body, such as one thinks their nose is too big, hair too straight or curvy. At the extreme, cases such as this, are difficult to completely understand. https://www.msn.com/en-ca/health/other/why-would-someone-want-to-amputate-healthy-limbs/ar-AA1MrQK7?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=68ce4014b1fe4953b0b4bd22ef471ab9&ei=78 they feel like they're an amputee in the body of a regular person "For...
View full post »
Thread 'Did they discover another descendant of homo erectus?'

Thread 'Did they discover another descendant of homo erectus?'

The study provides critical new insights into the African Humid Period, a time between 14,500 and 5,000 years ago when the Sahara desert was a green savanna, rich in water bodies that facilitated human habitation and the spread of pastoralism. Later aridification turned this region into the world's largest desert. Due to the extreme aridity of the region today, DNA preservation is poor, making this pioneering ancient DNA study all the more significant. Genomic analyses reveal that the...
View full post »

Thread 'Warning of new opiod drug (nitazene) on the streets: Question re strength...'

Whenever these opiods are mentioned they usually mention that e.g. fentanyl is "50 times stronger than heroin" and "100 times stronger than morphine". Now it's nitazene which the public is told is everything from "much stronger than heroin" and "200 times stronger than fentany"! Do these numbers make sense at all? How do they arrive at them? Kill thousands of mice? En passant: nitazene have already been found in both Oxycontin pills and in street "heroin" here, so Naloxone is more...
View full post »

Similar threads

How is speciation possible within known confines?
Replies
8
Views
2K
Why do we consider Neanderthals a different species than humans?
Replies
20
Views
2K
Clonal Fish is Genetically Healthy and Long Lived
Replies
1
Views
2K
Distinguish whether a pair of animals are related by descent or share a common ancestor
Replies
12
Views
3K
How Are New Traits Generated in Evolution?
Replies
15
Views
7K
Sex & Senescence: Evolutionary Benefits of Aging & Reproduction
Replies
2
Views
4K
Natural selection and speciation
Replies
18
Views
5K
Why were wolves and dogs considered separate species until recently?
Replies
16
Views
5K
How are ancestors classified in a cladistic system?
Replies
2
Views
2K
Do biologists agree on a definition of "species"?
Replies
10
Views
3K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top