Everything about Hybrid Speciation totally explained
Hybrid speciation is the process wherein
hybridization between two different closely related
species leads to a distinct
phenotype(a physical feature). This phenotype in very rare cases can also be fitter than the parental lineage and as such
natural selection may then favor these individuals. Eventually, if
reproductive isolation is achieved, it may lead to a separate species. However, reproductive isolation between hybrids and their parents is particularly difficult to achieve and thus hybrid
speciation is considered an extremely rare event.
Hybridization without change in
chromosome number is called
homoploid hybrid speciation. It is considered very rare but as been shown in
Heliconius butterflies and in
sunflowers.
Polyploid speciation, which involves changes in chromosome number, is a more common phenomena, especially in plant species.
In most cases however nature has its own interspecies genetic barriers to guard against
genetic pollution to keep species distinct. When rarely hybridization does occur naturally as in
hybrid zones where the ranges of closely related wild species overlap, the hybrid crosses produced, even though they may display
hybrid vigour (heterosis) in the first generation (
F1 hybrid), are in the long run less
fit than the two parent species which have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years specializing in exploiting their own particular
niche in nature. It is extremely rare that the hybrids ever become fitter than the two wild parent species so that natural selection may then favor these individuals and it's even more extremely rare that reproductive isolation is ever achieved to lead to the birth of a new species through the process known as Hybrid speciation.
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