8/31 The Tree of Life Gets Complicated

 

This week we discussed variations in phylogenetic trees. One such variation is hybrid speciation. Hybrid speciation is when two species mate and successfully produce offspring. These offspring do not fall under the category of either parent species but instead are their own hybrid species. An example of hybrid speciation is the liger which results from the interbreeding of a tiger and lion.


How we arrived at a $1 billion annual price tag to save Africa's lions  Lions, Tigers and … Ligers? Oh My! | HowStuffWorks

A lion, one of the liger parent species.                                 A liger, a hyrbid between a lion and tiger.

Tiger | Species | WWF

A tiger, one of the liger parent species.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbioweb.uwlax.edu%2Fbio203%2Fs2008%2Fbishop_kayl%2Fclassification.htm&psig=AOvVaw2KxVUlRAFc4KOF8bY0CRnr&ust=1599147687250000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCJDj38HnyusCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAc


Here we have a phylogenetic tree showing the evolutionary history of cats. Highlighted in pink we have the lion and tiger. Both of these species fit into the tree nicely and we can see their history clearly. Highlighted in blue we have the lineage of the liger. The liger did not come to exist because of evolutionary factors but instead through cross breeding of the tiger and lion. This is shown by having lines coming from both the tiger and lion and having the lines meet to form the liger. This way we can see the lineage of the liger but are also able to tell that it exists due to cross breeding.



Picture links:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fanimals.howstuffworks.com%2Fmammals%2Flions-tigers-and-ligers-oh-my.htm&psig=AOvVaw0rbRb-IKdteu5-95J1y4vC&ust=1599150987961000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCIiP7PHzyusCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAR

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.worldwildlife.org%2Fspecies%2Ftiger&psig=AOvVaw0jtLJ0zzRqTGLnePXjwVcR&ust=1599151060652000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCNjOkYr0yusCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconversation.com%2Fhow-we-arrived-at-a-1-billion-annual-price-tag-to-save-africas-lions-105411&psig=AOvVaw2UnR0q6UaRCaw7wazQ-mTU&ust=1599151080668000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA0QjhxqFwoTCMjc_pP0yusCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

Comments

  1. Kaelyn PageSeptember 3, 2020 at 6:40 PM

    First off, I love the pretty pictures of the tigers and lions; it caught my eye right away. I also like that you found a similar tree and highlighted what you were explaining. Made it very helpful.
    Keep up the good work:)))
    Kaelyn

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 8, 2020 at 7:42 PM

    Hi Delaney, I like how you showed how the phylogenetic tree can twist back and thats how we get the cool species like ligers!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hayley WebsterSeptember 9, 2020 at 8:41 PM

    Hi Delaney!
    I really liked that you gave more than one visual representation of the hybrid speciation of the between these two animals. I feel that helped to not only give a fun representation of what the liger looked like, but how it really fit into our concepts of phylogenetic trees.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Abbi MeekSeptember 15, 2020 at 5:00 PM

    Hi Delaney!

    I loved your example of the Liger, I mentioned it as well because they were my favorite as a kid. I think your phylogenetic tree and the highlighting that makes it much easier to read. Good job!

    ReplyDelete

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