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Study Catches Birds Splitting Into Separate Species

Posted by kdawson on from the it's-not-me-it's-you dept.

webdoodle writes "A new study finds that a change in a single gene has sent two closely related bird populations on their way to becoming two distinct species. The study, published in the August issue of the American Naturalist, is one of only a few to investigate the specific genetic changes that drive two populations toward speciation."

1 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Keep in mind... by srussia · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Keep in mind that the criteria for speciation is, itself, somewhat arbitrary and there exist few fine borders in nature for classifying things.

    Exactly. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Species_problem. The concept of "species" is so poorly defined that it deserves no place in scientific discourse.

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