Interbreeding | biology | Britannica (original) (raw)
Learn about this topic in these articles:
evolution
In evolution: The concept of species People can also interbreed with one another, and so can cats with other cats, but people cannot interbreed with dogs or cats, nor can these with each other. It is clear then that, although species are usually identified by appearance, there is something basic, of great biological significance,… Read More
gene flow
In gene flow …introduction of genetic material (by interbreeding) from one population of a species to another, thereby changing the composition of the gene pool of the receiving population. The introduction of new alleles through gene flow increases variability within the population and makes possible new combinations of traits. In humans gene flow… Read More
Neanderthals and modern humans
In Homo sapiens: Bodily structure …also provided evidence that limited interbreeding had taken place between H. sapiens from Europe and Asia and Neanderthals between 80 and 50 kya. (The oldest fossil evidence of both species inhabiting the same area contemporaneously—which increased the chances of the two species interbreeding with one another—was dated to 55,000 years… Read More
In Neanderthal: Neanderthal classification …that modern humans and Neanderthals interbred and thus were not two different biological species, despite most classifications treating them as such. It was previously argued on the basis of morphology that modern humans are distinct from Neanderthals, although the question of “how different is different” has always plagued debates on… Read More
species
In species …characteristics and are capable of interbreeding. This biological species concept is widely used in biology and related fields of study. There are more than 20 other different species concepts, however. Some examples include the ecological species concept, which describes a species as a group of organisms framed by the resources… Read More
