What is a hybrid?
- Thread starter Julie
- Start date
To me, hybrid has always meant a breeding between two different animals, mainly domesticated dog/wolf...or domestic cat/wild cat...
When there's a dog that's a cross between two breeds of domesticated dogs, that's a crossbreed, or a mixed breed.
Just how I perceive it...my friend works in wildlife rescue, and specifically with wolves and wolf/dog hybrids...always the term she used...
-Rosefern
When there's a dog that's a cross between two breeds of domesticated dogs, that's a crossbreed, or a mixed breed.
Just how I perceive it...my friend works in wildlife rescue, and specifically with wolves and wolf/dog hybrids...always the term she used...
-Rosefern
Female "Ligers" are fertile apparently. Some mules are (female mules?)
I get much more into this on the fish boards, but I generally restrict the word hybrid, in my terminology to 2 species, and on occasion, vastly different variants. An example might be dogs/ wolves, despite being the same species, or the Common yellow strain of "Cichlisoma" Salvinii with the bright red lagoon variant.
One fish species was recently split in 10+ new species, THAT creates a mess for fish hobbiests who want to keep non hybrids...
I get much more into this on the fish boards, but I generally restrict the word hybrid, in my terminology to 2 species, and on occasion, vastly different variants. An example might be dogs/ wolves, despite being the same species, or the Common yellow strain of "Cichlisoma" Salvinii with the bright red lagoon variant.
One fish species was recently split in 10+ new species, THAT creates a mess for fish hobbiests who want to keep non hybrids...
hy·brid /ˈhaɪbrɪd/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[hahy-brid] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 1. the offspring of two animals or plants of different breeds, varieties, species, or genera, esp. as produced through human manipulation for specific genetic characteristics. 2. a person or group of persons produced by the interaction or crossbreeding of two unlike cultures, traditions, etc.
3. anything derived from heterogeneous sources, or composed of elements of different or incongruous kinds: a hybrid of the academic and business worlds.
4. a word composed of elements originally drawn from different languages, as television, whose components come from Greek and Latin.
–adjective 5. bred from two distinct races, breeds, varieties, species, or genera.
6. composite; formed or composed of heterogeneous elements.
7. composed of elements originally drawn from different languages, as a word.
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[Origin: 1595–1605; < L hybrida, hibrida a crossbred animal]
—Synonyms 5. Hybrid, mongrel refer to animals or plants of mixed origin. Hybrid is the scientific term: hybrid corn; a hybrid variety of sheep. Mongrel, used originally of dogs to denote the offspring of crossings of different breeds, is now extended to other animals and to plants; it is usually deprecatory, as denoting mixed, nondescript, or degenerate breed or character: a mongrel pup.
—Antonyms 5. purebred, thoroughbred.
–noun 1. the offspring of two animals or plants of different breeds, varieties, species, or genera, esp. as produced through human manipulation for specific genetic characteristics. 2. a person or group of persons produced by the interaction or crossbreeding of two unlike cultures, traditions, etc.
3. anything derived from heterogeneous sources, or composed of elements of different or incongruous kinds: a hybrid of the academic and business worlds.
4. a word composed of elements originally drawn from different languages, as television, whose components come from Greek and Latin.
–adjective 5. bred from two distinct races, breeds, varieties, species, or genera.
6. composite; formed or composed of heterogeneous elements.
7. composed of elements originally drawn from different languages, as a word.
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[Origin: 1595–1605; < L hybrida, hibrida a crossbred animal]
—Synonyms 5. Hybrid, mongrel refer to animals or plants of mixed origin. Hybrid is the scientific term: hybrid corn; a hybrid variety of sheep. Mongrel, used originally of dogs to denote the offspring of crossings of different breeds, is now extended to other animals and to plants; it is usually deprecatory, as denoting mixed, nondescript, or degenerate breed or character: a mongrel pup.
—Antonyms 5. purebred, thoroughbred.
I have not heard of a mammal breeding across genus, but fish certainly do (well, if you trust the current genus designations!)
The blood parrot cichlid is a good example. Once all the arguing over the parents is trough, it would likely be a Heros severus crossed with a Amphilophus labiatus, which were once considered to be the same genus, but not now.
The blood parrot cichlid is a good example. Once all the arguing over the parents is trough, it would likely be a Heros severus crossed with a Amphilophus labiatus, which were once considered to be the same genus, but not now.
Most are not... that I know of at least. They are the same species, and really, sterility is a bad indicator if being hybrid, its time has passed with modern genetics. There are cases of Ligers (lion/tiger) and Mules breeding (usually back with the parent species though). Now we know how different they are, its just a matter of deciding where to place the line in the sand.
No no no! Genetics is what makes the species! If we start calling them a different species because of looks, despite the genetic similarity, ability to breed, and lets face it, similar behavior, then we should start calling different breeds different species. They all look far more different than some dogs look from wolves. A Malamute/ GSD cross can look rather wolfy but look completely different from a Chi or a Basset Hound.
No no no! Genetics is what makes the species! If we start calling them a different species because of looks, despite the genetic similarity, ability to breed, and lets face it, similar behavior, then we should start calling different breeds different species. They all look far more different than some dogs look from wolves. A Malamute/ GSD cross can look rather wolfy but look completely different from a Chi or a Basset Hound.