BIOL 260 Final: BIOL 260 Cheat Sheet.doc

Mules are considered hybrids, not a separate species. Mules result from the joining of gametes from a female horse (n=32) and a male donkey (n=31).

Define hybrid. What would the diploid (2n) number be for the mule that would be produced in the mating of the female horse and male donkey described above?

Mules are sterile, meaning they cannot produce gametes of their own. In terms of chromosomes, explain why this could be.

For each concept, explain whether it would suggest that a mule is a separate species or not a separate species.

Biological Concept:

Mate-Recognition Species Concept:

Genetic Species Concept:

Morphological Species Concept:

Phylogenetic Species Concept:

I've read a little about hybrid animals, and have been amazed bythe fact that the gender of the parent species determine thespecies of the offspring, in some hybrids. A male horse and afemale donkey will give birth to a Hinny, while a female horse anda male donkey will give birth to a Mule.

The same goes for tigers and lions, male lion and a femaletigress will give birth to a Liger, while a male tiger and a femalelioness mating will result in a Tiglon

I thought that the only difference between the male and femalereproductive cell's DNA code is the X-Y chromosome that determinesgender, not differences that can define the species of theoffspring. Why does this happen?

Which of the following statements about decomposition and carbon is true?