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Posted by Kenney Krysko on January 11, 1999 at 09:22:01:
In Reply to: This a great forum! posted by mike z on January 10, 1999 at 21:02:25:
mike z,
i also study ichthyology and thought that most of the cichlid fishes in africa (lake victoria?) were genetically indistinct species, although morphologically very distinct. i guess this raises the question about what processes can cause speciation. when looking at these cichlid fishes for example, one can theorize that phenotypically plasticity (morphological variation) may play a major role. (hope i remember this correctly) i think i was told that within one clutch of eggs from a particular species there were 3-4 different body forms arising whe the eggs were placed in different types of substrate (or habitat). this could be advantageous for certain individuals by helping them survive in "their" particular habitat if others are destroyed (naturally or unnaturally). i'll look back through my notes on this one!).
kenney krysko
:
: Yes, Kenny, it is a can of worms. That's what I had in mind when I posted my question. I'm a layman but huge fan of Darwin. Questions about the origins and relationships of species have teased my mind for years but I've never discused them before. As a fish keeper, I've read alot about the cichlids of Lake Malawi. You could spend a lifetime studying the relationships of the species in that lake. Snyder's example of groups being isolated, then reunited is exactly what I meant in my original post with the fish example. Two species with obviously a common ancester are geographicly seperated for thousands or millions of years. They are brought together in the tanks of hobbiests and instantly crossbreed. In fact, a big problem is keeping the species "pure" in captivity because they so readily interbreed. All kinds of mutts show up in the trade. It's a taxonomic nightmare. Thinking too hard about it drives me batty. Is the whole giant lake full of hundreds of subspecies or are species not as cut and dried as we thought? Darwin expended years of brain power contemplating such questions and never answered them to his own satisfaction. Oh well, believe it or not, this is what I do for fun.
: P.S. Would you scientists consider including brief discriptions of obscure technical terms you use on this forum? I keep up pretty well but get stumped once in awile.
