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Successful Merger of Butterfly Species

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the better-to-create-chaotic-futures dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "Researchers from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) have recreated a real butterfly in the lab by crossing two other species of butterflies. This phenomenon, which is quite rare, is known as hybrid speciation. What is more surprising is that the hybrid butterfly has been created in just three generations of lab crosses. And BBC News tells us that the new butterfly species is a viable one, with its specific wing patterns which "make them undesirable as mates for members of their parent species." In fact, this hybridization, which occurred without any changes to the chromosome number, could mean that it is an important factor in the origin of new animal species. Read more for many additional references and a comparison of wing patterns between hybrids and wild butterflies."

8 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. Corporations soon? by smvp6459 · · Score: 1, Funny

    If only they could manage this for corporate mergers...

  2. Makes me wonder by nizo · · Score: 2, Funny
    >Two butterfly species have been bred in the lab to make a third distinct species.

    So I wonder which species we would need to interbreed with to produced civilized human beings as offspring?

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  3. but will it eat ..... by nblender · · Score: 4, Funny

    Cane Toads?

  4. Re:About time... by kimvette · · Score: 2, Funny

    You need to be a Stonecutters member.

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  5. better not get bitten by one... by justkarl · · Score: 3, Funny

    because we can now call it a "super-butterfly". It has all of the traits of the other butterflies, including super-strength, "butterfly-sense", and agility. Eventually

    Think of the poor bastard superhero who is created by getting bit by this "super-butterfly" and has to live out his days with the secret identity of BUTTERFLY-MAN!!!

  6. Chaos ensues. by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 2, Funny

    So what new and exciting effects will we get when these fancy new butterflies flap their wings?

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  7. Re:Start your stopwatches . . . . by 99BottlesOfBeerInMyF · · Score: 2, Funny

    How long will it take for this to be dragged into the Intelligent Design community as "proof" that "Darwinism" is wrong for some reason?

    You are misjudging fundamentalist christians. They don't talk about butterflies. The subject is just a little too 'flamboyant' and their rampant homophobia will stifle any conversation that might lead others to think, for any reason, that they might secretly be aroused by the thought of butt sex.

  8. Study funded by MS? by blueZ3 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Let me guess, one wing is red, one blue, one green, and one yellow, and each wing has a tiny spot that looks strangely like the letters "m" and "s"

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