Elephant DNA Studied

randomErr writes "Africa may harbor three species of elephant instead of just two, suggests a study based on DNA extracted from dung. If that is confirmed, it means that roughly 12,000 elephants living in western Africa are a distinct and endangered species, due to their small scattered populations as reported here at Newsday."

Comments

Not convinced

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The results suggest the western elephants have been isolated from the other elephants for some 2.4 million years, Eggert said.

I'd like to know what the term "isolated" means in this context. Obviously, not geographically, since apparently these elephants can be found in the same habitat as the other two species.

I myself am skeptical of these findings. There are no details given as to the distinctions in the DNA between the different species. Does anyone know what the cut-off point is for defining a species by DNA?

Also, has any actual animal behavior been found which suggests that this group of elephants isolates itself from other species of elephants? Maybe to elephant specialists "all elephants look alike" (probably not!), but surely differences between species -- their behavior, their appearance -- should have been observed. If not, can the elephants themselves tell the species apart?