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From: gallagher@husc4.harvard.edu (paul gallagher)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,talk.origins
Subject: Re: Evolution vs.(?) Creationism
Message-ID: <889@husc6.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 14-Dec-86 05:47:12 EST
Article-I.D.: husc6.889
Posted: Sun Dec 14 05:47:12 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 16-Dec-86 01:55:35 EST
References: <2849@bu-cs.BU.EDU> <1261@cybvax0.UUCP> <9@bcsaic.UUCP>
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Reply-To: gallagher@husc4.UUCP (paul gallagher)
Organization: Harvard Science Center
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Xref: mnetor sci.bio:56 talk.origins:211


In article <9@bcsaic.UUCP> michaelm@bcsaic.UUCP (Michael Maxwell) writes:
>In article <2849@bu-cs.BU.EDU> bzs@bu-cs.BU.EDU (Barry Shein) writes:
>> For what it's worth I believe the acid test of a new species is that
>> it is no longer able to breed with the original species it evolved
>> from...
>
>I've always thought this definition, if *strictly* applied, rather humerous.
>All males must be of separate species from each other, since they can't
>interbreed (and likewise all females)...:-)

Actually, the definition of biological species (originated by Ernst Mayr)
states that two individuals are of different species if they belong to
*populations* which are reproductively isolated.
Any sexually reproducing population has both males and females.

However, although males need females, females don't neccessarily need
males.  Under laboratory conditions, the ovum of the female of some species
can be artificially induced to begin development, without need of sperm.
I read one author who, noting that many women have given birth without
ever apparently having had sex, thinks that virgin birth is possible in
humans.

Paul Gallagher