Huh, narwhals and belugas aren't even in the same genus. Most well-known hybrids like tigers and lions, horses and donkeys, and tomatoes and potatoes have been between species in the same genus. Maybe this discovery will prompt biologists to place narwhals and belugas in the same genus? It must be lonely being the sole member of a genus, after all.
Researchers confirm that narwhals and belugas can interbreed
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Re: Researchers confirm that narwhals and belugas can interbreed
#12Huh, narwhals and belugas aren't even in the same genus. Most well-known hybrids like tigers and lions, horses and donkeys, and tomatoes and potatoes have been between species in the same genus. Maybe this discovery will prompt biologists to place narwhals and belugas in the same genus? It must be lonely being the sole member of a genus, after all.
by a strict definition of species, this means they are in fact the same species.
Re: Researchers confirm that narwhals and belugas can interbreed
#13Huh, narwhals and belugas aren't even in the same genus. Most well-known hybrids like tigers and lions, horses and donkeys, and tomatoes and potatoes have been between species in the same genus. Maybe this discovery will prompt biologists to place narwhals and belugas in the same genus? It must be lonely being the sole member of a genus, after all.
Yeah I think they'd definitely be updating the taxonomy.
Re: Researchers confirm that narwhals and belugas can interbreed
#14Huh, narwhals and belugas aren't even in the same genus. Most well-known hybrids like tigers and lions, horses and donkeys, and tomatoes and potatoes have been between species in the same genus. Maybe this discovery will prompt biologists to place narwhals and belugas in the same genus? It must be lonely being the sole member of a genus, after all.
by a strict definition of species, this means they are in fact the same species.
If I recall my high school biology correctly, the strict definition also has the requirement that the offspring are able to reproduce themselves (hence making donkeys and horses separate species).
The article mentions no evidence that in this case the hybrid was able to reproduce, since it's all based on the analysis of only one skull.
Re: Researchers confirm that narwhals and belugas can interbreed
#15What are the offspring called... narlugas belwhals ..?
Narwhal McBeluga
Re: Researchers confirm that narwhals and belugas can interbreed
#16Beluga and narwhals are surprisingly tolerant with each other [1] but whales have "cultures". What mother eats is eaten by the offspring. A different diet points towards a captive animal. Hybrids in dolphins happen with relative ease in captivity. Maybe related with beluga experiments by Russian navy, maybe the former inhabitant of a zoo.
Re: Researchers confirm that narwhals and belugas can interbreed
#17Re: Researchers confirm that narwhals and belugas can interbreed
#18Huh, narwhals and belugas aren't even in the same genus. Most well-known hybrids like tigers and lions, horses and donkeys, and tomatoes and potatoes have been between species in the same genus. Maybe this discovery will prompt biologists to place narwhals and belugas in the same genus? It must be lonely being the sole member of a genus, after all.
Does cross-breeding ability automatically mandate a shared genus? Could they have genetically drifted in enough ways to be in separate genuses, even if reproductive compatibility isn't one of those ways?
Re: Researchers confirm that narwhals and belugas can interbreed
#19Very, very carefully
Re: Researchers confirm that narwhals and belugas can interbreed
#20One thing I’m curious about is how the researchers even tell that the hybrid is a bottom dweller. They have only seen the skull, not what was inside the hybrid’s stomach. Can some biologist shed some light here?