Speciation can occur without dramatic anatomical or genetic?

Question

True or False

Thanks

Answer 1

changes?  A different species occurs when it can no longer produce offspring that can recreate with one group but can with another group.   It would have to be on the genetic level so I would say false if I am reading your question correctly

Answer 2

False.  There must be significant genetic changes in order for two animals to be considered different species.

Also, inability to interbreed is NOT determinative of different species nor is the opposite necessarily true.  Think Chihuahua and Great Dane.... unable to interbreed because of phenotypic variation.... but not different species as they share more than 99% of genes.

And horses and donkeys.... different species but able to interbreed and produce offspring.... but typically not fertile offspring.

And I just can't let this go uncorrected.  Darwin's finches were the same GENUS but they represent a great number of different SPECIES.  That was the basis (or part of it) for the book "On the Origin of Species" in which Darwin attempted to explain how birds that are clearly related (their bodies and other features tend to be very similar) came to have such different beak shapes and over time became different species.

Hope that helps and sorry for the length of my answer... but I can't let false answers go uncorrected.

Answer 3

My understanding is different species are unable to interbreed so this implies significant changes on the genetic level. Speciation tends to occur when populations are separated for significant periods and each group adapts to local conditions implying anatomical changes. Having said that Darwin observed different beak shapes on galapagos finches due to their different feeding habits, ie an anatomical change but not separate species.

I would take issue with the use of the word 'dramatic' as it is entirely subjective. Changes must take place or it wouldn't be a different species.

Answer 4

its false, theres no other way speciation can occur with out genetic change at least.

Answer 5

i'm going to go with TRUE... but it's a poor question.  it depends what you mean by 'dramatic'... many animals have very similar anatomies and gemone sequences but are not the same species.

for example, a wolf and a coyote are not the same species but they are very similar genetically and anatomically