Would that not be an example of a transitional species?
I don't think so but, like so much, it depends on your definition of "transitional".
I think in the context we are using the word it means a species that has features diagnositic of two
higher taxa. I'm not sure this is even applied at the genus level but certainly not at the species in common usage.
Perhaps we can call it little-t transitional but not big-T.
ABE:
Also note:
It isn't the degree of copper resistance that counts. If the new very copper resistant plant were totally interfertile with the other they would simply be variants within one species. The degree of interfertility is what counts.
E.O. Wilson "The Diversity of Life" writes:
"More serious conceptual problems are created by "semi-species," populations partially interbreed--not enough to constiture one big freely interbreeding gene pool, but enough to produce a good many hybrids under natural conditions."
"The genus Quercus (the oaks) is outstanding for the very poor developement of sterility barriers between its species. Oak species are interfertile in many combinations, and natural hybrids may be formed between pairs of species that are very different from one another both morphologically aand physiologicall." -- quoting Whittlemore and Schaal page 47
In this case there is no semispecies if the new species is totally non interbreeding. If it was partially so we would have semispecies.
This message has been edited by NosyNed, 09-29-2005 10:10 AM