What are sub-species?

Question

The Eclectus Parrot has heaps of different sub-species, but what is that? Do subspecies live in different parts of the world, look different and have different habits?

Answer 1

Sub-species are considered to be "races" of any certain species.  Usually subspecies live in different environments and have physiological differences.  The validity of the designation "sub-species" is not without its critics.  It is my belief that any two animals that can breed and produce viable, fertile offspring are of the same species.

Answer 2

Sub-species are a extended part of a species, they just come from different parts of the world but are exactly the same but scientifically are just named differently, like orangutans have 2 sub-species borneo and sumatra. They are either from different parts of the world or have been named differently but are then found to be the same. But we don't want to get into too much scientific talk, it gets confusing for even a professer sometimes.

Answer 3

Members of separate subspecies should have relatively minor differences of the anatomy to members of other subspecies or, at least, typical members should.  The different subspecies will generally form separate populations.  Should that isolation prevail, then some subspecies are effectively incipient new species.

In practice, not all researchers agree on whether this is that subspecies is distinct enough to merit some kind of separate status.  Some -known as splitters- can be overzealous at handing out names.  Others -termed lumpers- can be much meaner.  Another influence is quite what the researcher is actually studying.  For example, should you be doing some broad study on mammals in Australia, then there's not much point in babbling on about possible minor distinctions between groups of echidnas.  You may as well take a lumper approach.  If, on the other paw, you're concentrating solely on different populations of echidnas, then subtle distinctions could be of more significance, and that could direct you towards being more of a splitter.

I'd expect similar issues among fans of Eclectus parrots, but I don't know anything in particular about.  That's why I mentioned echidnas instead as a possible parallel.

Answer 4

Yes, mostly likely they do live in different place or maybe the same exact spot! Usually they are different colors and may have different habits. But they are traced back to the same species, the "Electus Parrot"