Talk:Species

"A German Shepherd and a Beagle can mate, because they are different breeds within one species. " - There is no such thing a dog, because it's still a wolf? :) NewCrusader 15:53, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

Dogs were created by God, as were wolves. The relation between them is only because God willed it so. JohnI 16:00, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

Tigers and lions are different species, but they can breed. Ability to reproduce does not define species. -DrSandstone 16:08, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

They can, indeed, produce offspring, but such offspring are unable to produce more because they become infertile, same goes with donkeys and horses. JohnI 16:11, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

That is, actually, untrue. -DrSandstone 16:27, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

It is, actually, true. A female horse and a male donkey yields a mule. JohnI 19:17, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

Ability to reproduce defines species for the layman. So-called scientists may have a different definition, but they are not welcome here. The layman definition is all a good Christian needs to know, visit Wikipedia for a different one. --SilvioB 19:28, 2 September 2008 (EDT)

There are some half-truths, odd comments, and people trying to be funny, here on this talk page. Simplistically, "species" is defined as the ability to interbreed, but more precisely, it's more like that they can naturally interbreed (according to some biologists at least; see article), and produce fertile offspring. I think (but can't recall for sure) that fertile lion/tiger offspring have occurred. Not that there is an exact universally-agreed definition anyway, and reproductive ability is totally useless when it comes to determining the species of creatures known only from the fossil record (and yet they accuse baraminologists of not having a precise definition!).

The relationship between dogs and wolves is not simply "because God willed it", but because they are of the same created kind.

Philip J. Rayment 22:45, 2 September 2008 (EDT)