What is a nominate subspecies?
When a species is originally described, there is only one subspecies, the nominate subspecies. For example, when Canis lupus was desribed there was only one subspecies. However, as time goes by sometimes a new subspecies is described. The new subspecies must have a different name, since it is new. When a species is first described, a type locality is designated and a type specimen is designated. A new subspecies therefore must have a different geographic distribution than the species' type locality, and it must be different from the type specimen to be considered valid. Sometimes, a taxonomist may also present evidence that 2 or more previously described species are the same species. In that case, the older of the names will be picked. For example, in the case of the California newt (Taricha torosa), the Sierrae newt (Taricha sierrae), which was originally described as a different species by Twitty, was subsequently considered by Stebbins to be the same species but a different subspecies of the California newt. Since Taricha torosa was the older name, it was chosen as the nominate subspecies, and the California newt is then called Taricha torosa torosa, and the Sierra newt is Taricha torosa sierrae. If sierrae were the older name, then the California newt would have been Taricha sierrae torosa. There is a new twist to this story though, as new data now suggests that they are actually 2 different species, since they do not interbreed where they meet in Kern County. So, in the future, the two will probably be separated again.
Which talks better for the african grey subspecies, timneh or congo?
i have read on the net that it is mainly up to the bird, but i was just wondering if there are any people out there who have a few of these birds (such as breeders) who can tell me if either talks better than the other. i just bought a congo parrot and he's lovely, he's 11 weeks old. when did your african grey start talking? thanx enjoy your day!! oh yes and any new parrot owner advice would be greatly appreciated!!
Is trimeresurus albolabris insularis a subspecies of trimeresurus albolabris or a distinct species?
Any time you see a trinomial (a three-part name), it means that you’re looking at a subspecies (at least, in the eyes of the taxonomist who gave it that name!)Trimeresurus = GENUS (all vipers who share a set of genetic relationships)albolabris = SPECIES (a specific viper within the Trimeresurus complex)insularis = SUBSPECIES (a genetically distinct viper that is different from T. albolabris albolabris*, but sufficiently similar to to be considered a separate species in its own right)*When you have subspecies, everybody gets a three-part name, with the original, “mother” variant having the same name as species AND subspecies. We call this the nominate subspecies.
Are dogs and wolves subspecies of the same species? Would a dog be accepted into a wolf pack? Would a baby wolf raised in a family of humans behave like a dog?
1) Yes. The domestic dog is currently categorized as a subspecies of the species Canis lupus (gray wolf). Canis familiaris is just an abbreviation of the standard designation Canis lupus familiaris.[1] At one time they were considered separate species but recent genetic research has changed that.^A few of the subspecies of Canis lupus2) Probably not. I haven’t seen any examples of this occurring in the wild and wolf packs are *very* exclusive. They generally just include family or the inclusion of a step-parent if one of the breeders (what used to be called alpha males/females) dies. Other wolves would have a hard enough time getting in. See: How does an alpha wolf get a new wolf to join his pack?“A 120-pound wild wolf just shows up one day, and wants to play with our dogs, and is tolerant of people in general, and even friendly to some.” — Nick JansMaybe if they found a cute abandoned puppy it’s possible they might take it in. However this is highly speculative. After getting accepted into the pack, the dog would also have to face some additional challenges in order to live up to the requirements that come with being a part of the pack. See: User's answer to If a dog happened to be raised in a pack of wolves, in what ways would it still be a "dog"?3) Wolves are not dogs. It’s possible to raise wolves as pets but it’s much more labor-intensive and involved than raising dogs. It will still behave like a wolf. Just a tame wolf that grew up around humans. See: Oliver Starr's answer to What does it take to raise wolves?^Labrador retriever and grey wolf playing (notice the collar)Footnotes[1] Dog
Define culture from an anthropological perspective?
Culture is the learned and shared knowledge people use to generate behavior and interpret experience. Simply put, it's a way of life. There are probably over a hundred definitions of culture because it encompasses so much.