Naturally occurring hybrids
- Thread starter Stanzzzz7
- Start date
That's really not the point. I don't like bright orange discus (that may or may not be hybrids depending on unknowable provenance and which taxonomist you believe) but that doesn't have anything to do with the price of tea in China...other than that there's a large market and following for fancy fish (including, of course, flowerhorns)
hybrids occur more often than people think, but the question is really "What defines a hybrid?"
As stated fish can breed w/ other species or gena in the wild, and it is also something we see in reptiles and amphibians, however I don't believe these should be called "hybrids" - the proper terminology would be "intergrade", for instance the Gulf Hammock Ratsnake.
Until the recent change in genus to Pantherophis, the "Eastern ratsnake" was divided into several subspecies, including Black, Grey, Yellow, Everglades, Texas, and Baird's. In many instances these sub-species would breed together in the areas their natural ranges overlapped, for instance a small area in NW panhandle of Florida and adjacent MI and AL, referred to as the "Gulf Hammock". This area was the westernmost distribution of the Yellow ratsnake and also the Southeasternmost distribution of the Grey ratsnake and individuals were/are constantly found displaying traits from both species dubbed "Gulf Hammock ratsnake".
In North Carolina, the Yellow overlaps the Black ratsnakes' southernmost distribution, intergrading to become the "Greenish ratsnake", again displaying traits from both parent species. These are perfect examples of intergrades - a naturally occurring hybridization that has been occurring for thousand to tens of thousands of years.
Crazier things have happened: a wild hybrid was found of 2 completely different gena and ironically one is normally the other's food source, a cross between a California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae) and the Pacific Gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer catenifer). Was it natural? No one knows but it was found in the wild and snakes don't discriminate sometimes when mates are scarce.....perhaps the King tracked a female Gopher through her pheromones and then decided he wanted to mate instead of eat once he got close enough for the pheromones to take full effect on him.
An even crazier instance is entire species........of nothing but hybrids. Yes, it's true. Tremblay's Salamander (Ambystoma tremblayi) and Silvery Salamander (Ambystoma platineum), evolved as a result of Jefferson's Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) and Blue-spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma laterale) interbred and created 2 hybrid ALL-FEMALE species. Curiously enough they possess 3 sets of chromosomes, rather than the normal 2. Silvery females breed w/ Jefferson's males, while Tremblay's females breed with Blue-spotted males despite the male's sperm ONLY stimulating egg development and NO genetic material is passed on from the males.
Also it could be said that some species of Whiptail lizards may hybridize or be derived from hybridizing - many are All-female species/sub-species as well and while there have been a few males found of one or two subspecies, several other which are all-female may interbreed with them when they cross paths .
Striped BassXWhite bass hybrids are known to occur in the wild despite being widely farmed as well as the Tiger trout, a hybrid of Brook trout and Brown Trout, however it is my belief this would never have happened if A.) Dams weren't constructed by man, landlocking Striped bass in permanent Freshwater and also B.) Man never introduced the Brown trout from Germany in the 1800's
2 More are up-for-grabs, the "Splake" which is a cross between the Brook and Lake trout, which CAN inhabit the same bodies of water, but unlikely they WOULD hybridize in the wild BUT the offspring IS FERTILE. The other is the Tiger Muskellunge, a hybrid of a Northern Pike and a Muskellunge - also bred in captivity or farmed, they COULD also reproduce in the wild producing viable, fertile offspring. The offspring are however USUALLY sterile.
As stated fish can breed w/ other species or gena in the wild, and it is also something we see in reptiles and amphibians, however I don't believe these should be called "hybrids" - the proper terminology would be "intergrade", for instance the Gulf Hammock Ratsnake.
Until the recent change in genus to Pantherophis, the "Eastern ratsnake" was divided into several subspecies, including Black, Grey, Yellow, Everglades, Texas, and Baird's. In many instances these sub-species would breed together in the areas their natural ranges overlapped, for instance a small area in NW panhandle of Florida and adjacent MI and AL, referred to as the "Gulf Hammock". This area was the westernmost distribution of the Yellow ratsnake and also the Southeasternmost distribution of the Grey ratsnake and individuals were/are constantly found displaying traits from both species dubbed "Gulf Hammock ratsnake".
In North Carolina, the Yellow overlaps the Black ratsnakes' southernmost distribution, intergrading to become the "Greenish ratsnake", again displaying traits from both parent species. These are perfect examples of intergrades - a naturally occurring hybridization that has been occurring for thousand to tens of thousands of years.
Crazier things have happened: a wild hybrid was found of 2 completely different gena and ironically one is normally the other's food source, a cross between a California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae) and the Pacific Gopher snake (Pituophis catenifer catenifer). Was it natural? No one knows but it was found in the wild and snakes don't discriminate sometimes when mates are scarce.....perhaps the King tracked a female Gopher through her pheromones and then decided he wanted to mate instead of eat once he got close enough for the pheromones to take full effect on him.
An even crazier instance is entire species........of nothing but hybrids. Yes, it's true. Tremblay's Salamander (Ambystoma tremblayi) and Silvery Salamander (Ambystoma platineum), evolved as a result of Jefferson's Salamander (Ambystoma jeffersonianum) and Blue-spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma laterale) interbred and created 2 hybrid ALL-FEMALE species. Curiously enough they possess 3 sets of chromosomes, rather than the normal 2. Silvery females breed w/ Jefferson's males, while Tremblay's females breed with Blue-spotted males despite the male's sperm ONLY stimulating egg development and NO genetic material is passed on from the males.
Also it could be said that some species of Whiptail lizards may hybridize or be derived from hybridizing - many are All-female species/sub-species as well and while there have been a few males found of one or two subspecies, several other which are all-female may interbreed with them when they cross paths .
Striped BassXWhite bass hybrids are known to occur in the wild despite being widely farmed as well as the Tiger trout, a hybrid of Brook trout and Brown Trout, however it is my belief this would never have happened if A.) Dams weren't constructed by man, landlocking Striped bass in permanent Freshwater and also B.) Man never introduced the Brown trout from Germany in the 1800's
2 More are up-for-grabs, the "Splake" which is a cross between the Brook and Lake trout, which CAN inhabit the same bodies of water, but unlikely they WOULD hybridize in the wild BUT the offspring IS FERTILE. The other is the Tiger Muskellunge, a hybrid of a Northern Pike and a Muskellunge - also bred in captivity or farmed, they COULD also reproduce in the wild producing viable, fertile offspring. The offspring are however USUALLY sterile.
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