Here's an interesting one... Do scientists believe a Hybrid, natural or not, (i.e. Amphilophus Labiatus and Amphilophus Citrinellus) has the same nuclear DNA of one of its parent species?
TRUTH Behind the MIDAS Complex
- Thread starter Cyberman
- Start date
My basic understanding is Mitochondrial dna comes only from the mother nuclear dna is made up of both parents,
So the TRUTH could be that Scientists are over simplifying matters when studying the nuclear DNA of different species. All species under the Midas umbrella are more than likely "Natural Hybrids".
Most of that complex started off as citrinellus got separated geographicaly and then evolved at a very rapid rate into separate sp?
I will stick my neck out and say midas complex has been studied more then any other ca/sa cichlid due to the parallel evolution of the crater lakes, with out this added spot light I think we would have less amphilophus sp.
If some of the divergence was because of hybridisation then when does a naturally occurring hybrid become a species in there own right.
I will stick my neck out and say midas complex has been studied more then any other ca/sa cichlid due to the parallel evolution of the crater lakes, with out this added spot light I think we would have less amphilophus sp.
If some of the divergence was because of hybridisation then when does a naturally occurring hybrid become a species in there own right.
So I asked my wife, who has her Masters degree in science, and has spent the last 10+ years working as a tech at a genome science centre, and who has been published a few times (or had her name on a few published papers) what she thought.
Her answer, before she lost me was:
"No. They can't. Because the progeny received half their chromosomes from one parent and half from another their DNA will be a mix of both. Not necessarily half & half because when the chromosomes rejoin they overlap and do funky things..."
I couldn't follow the rest of it.
She also said something else about mitochondrial DNA being passed via maternal lines - but me, being Male, still have mitochondrial DNA... so I guess I have it but can't pass it on to my kids.
That's interesting. I did not know that. Biology was always my favourite subject in school but I never took it past first year college. Being married to someone who works in science everyday has probably kept me sharper on the subject than if I wasn't, if only because every time she wants to tell me about her day (which is every damn day) I get a refresher on human genetics...
But that's cool about the fishes.
But that's cool about the fishes.
It always reminds me of my 90 year old mom (or a newbie eBay seller) when I see peoples thread titles in ALL CapS. lol
The following link is some of the most current science on this subject. There's more to it than just DNA.
http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/royptb/365/1547/1763.full.pdf
This is exactly why I have always promoted breeders keeping and breeding fish from the same collection point. Jump over to a different lake, or river, or sometimes even a different collection location in the same body of water, and what makes each fish unique can start to drift.
The following link is some of the most current science on this subject. There's more to it than just DNA.
http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/royptb/365/1547/1763.full.pdf
This is exactly why I have always promoted breeders keeping and breeding fish from the same collection point. Jump over to a different lake, or river, or sometimes even a different collection location in the same body of water, and what makes each fish unique can start to drift.
Re: mitochondrial DNA-- The (non-technical) basics are: Mitochondria are structures within the cells that are essentially the power stations of the cell. They have their own, separate little packets of DNA used in synthesizing the proteins and enzymes used by mitochondria. Sperm have mitochondria (and mitochondrial DNA) but their function ends at getting the sperm to the egg. It's a bit like putting a probe or telescope in space. Once it reaches orbit (or escapes earth's gravity on its way to wherever) the vehicle that got it to that point is done, it returns to earth, burns up in the atmosphere, or whatever-- while the telescope (or probe, etc.) continues its mission.
Liked the paper, saved it to my collection. The thing about "species" isn't as simple as some think, partly because genetic diversity isn't always apparent to the 'eye' and partly because there are different notions of what "species" is or should be. As the above paper said: "Whether populations of Midas cichlids in each lake should be considered different species—given the significant morphological variation and distinctiveness we have shown here— depends on one’s species concept." Some consider "species" to be a somewhat artificial unit of diversity; in any case, science is learning it doesn't necessarily reflect the true diversity of nature to think only in terms of species.
Similar to my argument regarding C. gibberosa.
Liked the paper, saved it to my collection. The thing about "species" isn't as simple as some think, partly because genetic diversity isn't always apparent to the 'eye' and partly because there are different notions of what "species" is or should be. As the above paper said: "Whether populations of Midas cichlids in each lake should be considered different species—given the significant morphological variation and distinctiveness we have shown here— depends on one’s species concept." Some consider "species" to be a somewhat artificial unit of diversity; in any case, science is learning it doesn't necessarily reflect the true diversity of nature to think only in terms of species.