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Posted by Terry Cox on October 07, 2002 at 21:57:34:
In Reply to: Re: Hey, DT, I\'m back.... posted by Ophidiophile on October 07, 2002 at 20:45:32:
::Let's just look at this one item for now. Let me make a supposition. What if the Asian Elaphe, including some of the new genera, such as Gonyosoma, evolved from a common ancestor, and then a little later gave rise to the American Elaphe after crossing into the New World? Then, the American Elaphe could have given rise to the Pituophines and Lampropeltines. That might make the American genera seem more close knit even though the Elaphe had Asian Elaphe ancestors. Just a thought to ponder.
:Very plausible. Especially since around the time that Elaphe first appeared Europe and North America were connected.
::Might you give some further explanation of the Biological Species Concept, also? I am assuming it means that if two species or genera are similar in biological traits that they are probably closely related. Close? Thanks...
::TC
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:The biological species concept is just the old familiar one: that species are composed of and defined by populations of organisms that interbreed and produce fertile offspring. By this definition many Elaphe, Lampropeltis and Pituophis might be one species (though the fact that they don't hybridize in the wild but only in captivity might indicate that in general they are reproductively isolated and should be different species).
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