if Homosapiens could interbreed with Neanderthals and produce fertile offspring , why are they considered two different species ?
what definition would make them 2 different species ?
Hi
there are many cases like this. See e.g. within genus Alectoris, and read about allospecies.
Species genetic isolation is just a statistical view, as a species can originate from nothing but another species.
Considering that neanderthalensis = sapiens is saying that there is just one species in this world, LUCA.
Hello Amr; During the Pleistocene there were several populations of Homo across Africa and Eurasia. They differ from each other by morphology, tool kit, geographical distribution and genetic distinctiveness. These species include Homo floresiensis, H. luzonensis, H. denisova, H. neandertalensis and H. sapiens...perhaps others too. The last two are well studied and there are many artifacts to study. The first three are represented by few, scattered fossils. The genetic relations of the last three are well documented. Those kinds of evidence have been used to distinguish the species. Best regards, Jim Des Lauriers
I think it depends on the strict deginition of "species": as far as I know Hs, Hn & Denisovans too could be considered "cousin species" since they all seem to descend from a common "ancestor species" which split nearly 800 ka BP (H.heidelbergensis? )
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