ANTB14H3 Chapter 3: ANTB14 CH3.odt
13 Dec 2013
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Typological: the study or systematic classification of types that have characteristics or traits in common. There are many definitions for species however for evolutionary purposes, scientists stick to 2 relevant modern definitions: biological & phylogenetic. Researchers of this field note that any one feature rarely defines a species: diff species share features bc of common descent. A species represents a population of inds that varies from other species in a variety of ways & they exchange genes by interbreeding. Biological features prevent one species from breeding w another species. Ernst mayr: biological species are defined as actually or potentially interbreeding populations, which are reproductively isolated from other such groups. >assumption: conservative application of these data provides deductive proof of reproductive isolation. This concept cannot be applied to fossilized species therefore an alternative definition is needed. Phylogenetic species concept: a species is the smallest aggregation of (sexual) populatoins diagnosable by a unique combination of character states: alternative expressions of a character.
