Motoros

[davo]

Well they are so variable, in colours, in pattern. There are the marbles... you all know what I mean.
As far as I know, they are all described as the same species, P. motoro, but who thinks there is more... has anyone looked into this? Who thinks there are more than one species represented with this name, or who thinks it is simply a locality thing, that indeed makes them variable, but scientifically speaking, they are still the same species. Just wondering...

 

[sixpack_ey]

Well, I have an opinion on this issue, although it's just an opinion because a question like this would require much research to answer. I think that if the only thing that is different is asthetics then they are the same species. Look how different humans from different areas are in skin color, eye shape, eye color, ect, yet we are all the same species. There may be other characteristics besides asthetics that differentiate the marble/columbian/peruvian/oddballs but I am just a novice so I don't know of any. So, with the information I have, which is limited, my theory is that they are the same species.

 

[davo]

I wouldn't be suprised either... as there are plenty of examples of the same species around the world looking different and having some different external differences like this, but still all the same species. E.g. a lot of people thought their was at least 2 species within Morelia viridis, theres not though.

 

[ethnics]

if a marbled motoro can be bred to produce more marbled motoros, then to me thats practically a different species. if scientist dont lable them differently and consider them the same specie, then there almost considering marbled motoros as like an albino or 1 out of who knows how many defect kinda. but its not... so to me, i think there's more to it then jus another motoro with different spots.

 

[the_deeb]

if a marbled motoro can be bred to produce more marbled motoros, then to me thats practically a different species.

Your definition of a species is a little odd. If two asian individuals "bred" and had asian-looking children, would you consider them a different species than caucasians or black people?

The difference in color simply reflects morphological variation within the species. I don't think any of the variations are dramatic enough to suggest that there may be multiple species. Plus all the motoro variants readily interbreed, supporting the idea that they're all one species. Though, in the case of rays, I suppose the reproductive isolation rules don't seem to really hold since hybridization across species seems to happen quite often in captivity.

I guess the question can only really be answered if someone conducts a phylogenetic study but I don't see that happening any time soon.