Not arguing that Yao Ming isn’t human. Just wondering how all these animals which are visually identical (come at me biologists) are different animals.
In: Biology
Being a different species has nothing to do with what you (superficially) look like. It’s about your genetics being sufficiently different that (among other things) the two animals can no longer interbreed and produce viable offspring if at all.
And fwiw, Weasels, Stoats and Minks are all in the *Mustela* Genius (above species in the tree) while Martins are Genius *Martes*. So they are even further apart from each other than just species.
Because they are considered different species incapable of interbreeding due to geographical boundaries. While they may be able to interbreed when in the same containment, in the natural world they can’t because of a mountain range, ocean, or other physical boundaries. To even further complicate things, biologist who are looking to make a name for themselves are now reaching into the DNA to show that they are different species even when they do interbreed in nature.
Yao is just really tall, he’s still part of the same species. The biggest factor in determining two different species is whether or not they’re able to breed (And produce fertile offspring). I’m assuming if either of you were a different gender than the other, you could have children, meaning you’re the same species. There are and will always be offspring of all species that have spectacular mutations that make them larger or unique in a beneficial way; These do not make them a different species altogether.
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