Reclassification of Homo sapiens.
- Thread starter Enmos
- Start date
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
The genus Homo is readily distinguished from all of the other apes by the fact that it has one fewer pair of chromosomes. It's chromosome #2 consists of two chromosomes in all of the other apes that was fused into one in Homo.
This appears to have occurred in the common ancestor of the chimp/bonobo and Homo [which includes the Australopithecines, etc.], which then caused a split in those populations into two different populations [creating two species from one]. The species with the fused chromsomes then went on to further differentiation, eventually forming possibly several new genera including Australopithecus and Homo, though it is possible that the fusing of the chromosomes took place after Australopithecus differentiated, as we do not have tissue samples of extant Australopithecus [as it is an extinct lineage] as we do for extant Homo and Bonobos/Chimps. It would appear that the chimp/bonobo and Homo should be in a separate sub-family from the other apes, to show their relatedness, while at the same time keeping the various Homo species in the same Homo genera to show their relatedness [including having that fused chromosome].
Incidentally, the gene sequences in that fused chromosome is the same as in the non-fused chromosomes of the other apes, but in reverse order, from where it apparently attached to chromosome #2 end-to-end.
You can read more about the chromosome fusing at:
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/mole00/mole00679.htm
This appears to have occurred in the common ancestor of the chimp/bonobo and Homo [which includes the Australopithecines, etc.], which then caused a split in those populations into two different populations [creating two species from one]. The species with the fused chromsomes then went on to further differentiation, eventually forming possibly several new genera including Australopithecus and Homo, though it is possible that the fusing of the chromosomes took place after Australopithecus differentiated, as we do not have tissue samples of extant Australopithecus [as it is an extinct lineage] as we do for extant Homo and Bonobos/Chimps. It would appear that the chimp/bonobo and Homo should be in a separate sub-family from the other apes, to show their relatedness, while at the same time keeping the various Homo species in the same Homo genera to show their relatedness [including having that fused chromosome].
Incidentally, the gene sequences in that fused chromosome is the same as in the non-fused chromosomes of the other apes, but in reverse order, from where it apparently attached to chromosome #2 end-to-end.
You can read more about the chromosome fusing at:
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/mole00/mole00679.htm
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
Our classification system for species is very much out of date. There are some people working on re-doing the whole thing.
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
We are not talking about characteristics, we're talking genetics.
And that is, incidentally, what Spider is talking about above..
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
And we're not talking about Species either, but about Genus. Do try to keep up.
A genus contains many species that are distinguished from each other by the inability to interbreed. As spider said that the species classification is outdated, I disagreed.
I also disagree with you that Homo and Pan are in the same category. There is more than Homo sapiens in this category and all of them can be easily distinguished from a chimp or bonobo.
Now if you simply look at a human, chimp and bonobo and are confused about which is which, thats a different thing altogether.
I'm mostly talking about the naming system, it's archaic.
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
What are you talking about ? The differences are because of differences in gene-expression.
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
Yes, and ? No one is saying that Chimpanzees are Homo sapiens..
The point was that Chimpanzees and Bonobo's should genetically be in the same Genus as Homo sapiens, but they're not.
It isn't the same genus, duh..
My point is that Chimpanzees and Bonobo's easily qualify to be in the same Genus as us.
Ok, where did you study Biology ?
You don't classify organisms on looks, at least not anymore.
:spank:
It's a mistake letting some people get anywhere near a computer and the internet.
Bad boy.
Enmos
Valued Senior Member
No, the point is to establish genetic relationships between species. Family, Genus and Species to name a few are the units used.