Anthropology

Random Boomer

(4,168 posts)

4. The concept of "species" is fuzzy

Wed May 19, 2021, 02:42 PM

May 2021

Humans have created this abstract concept of species, and it is a generally useful idea, but the details of what separates similar animals into two separate species are less precise than many people realize.

Homo sapiens has only existed for about 300,000 years and our branching off from Neanderthals and Denisovans hominoids is recent enough that we could still breed and produce viable offspring. Whether we can even call ourselves separate species may have more to do with human pride than with scientific fact.

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If Neanderthals and Sapiens were separate species [View all] prodigitalson May 2021 OP

No, it just seems like some of their political offspring act like mules. marble falls May 2021 #1

I don't know why I never thought to ask the question 70sEraVet May 2021 #2

Not necessarily. Dogs, coyotes, and wolves interbreed with enthusiasm Glorfindel May 2021 #3

Gonna read that tonight. Aren't dogs, coyotes and wolves prodigitalson May 2021 #5

Ligers, and Tigons and ??!??!!! Oh, my! ; ) electric_blue68 Jun 2021 #12

The concept of "species" is fuzzy Random Boomer May 2021 #4

Homo sapiens did not branch off from Neanderthals. PoindexterOglethorpe Jun 2021 #11

Separate species can produce viable offspring Warpy May 2021 #6

So usually the offspring is sterile but not always? prodigitalson Jun 2021 #7

Female offspring are sometimes fertile Warpy Jun 2021 #8

Thanks for the info prodigitalson Jun 2021 #9

Very rarely but it has happened. NT Warpy Jun 2021 #10