Domestic breed that is a unique species/ subspecies in its own right?

SHAVINGTONZOO said:
Genuine question - can you give an example of a domestic breed that is a unique species/ subspecies in its own right?
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The current line of thinking tends to assign Dingo/NGSD distinct status, as Canis dingo / C. lupus dingo appears to be derived from a different (and now-extinct) population of wolves to both the various extant wild wolf species of southern Asia *and* the progenitors of domestic dogs.
 
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SHAVINGTONZOO said:
Genuine question - can you give an example of a domestic breed that is a unique species/ subspecies in its own right?
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No individual breeds are at ssp/sp level as far as I know but several domesticated animals are -- ie domesticated cats, dogs, sheep, goats etc are all at subspecies or species level according to ITIS.
 
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SHAVINGTONZOO said:
Genuine question - can you give an example of a domestic breed that is a unique species/ subspecies in its own right?
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Llamas and Alpacas, Domestic Dogs and Cats, and Goldfish spring to mind as domestic taxa which count as species in their own right. I am unaware of any domestic breeds which are as yet classified as subspecies of their own species, but surely their comes a point at which two breeds of the same domesticated species are so dissimilar as to merit their informal classification as such in that they would be unable to interbreed. I mean, a Leonburger probably could successfully impregnate a Chihuahua, but the resulting offspring would like as not be unviable in that the mother would be unable to safely carry them to term.
 
Jennings said:
L I mean, a Leonburger probably could successfully impregnate a Chihuahua, but the resulting offspring would like as not be unviable in that the mother would be unable to safely carry them to term.
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If a St Bernard tried to impregnate a chihuahua, I doubt if the latter would give birth.
 
I don't think there is any doubt that dingoes and NGSD originated from an early line of domesticated dogs and, if one was was following scientific nomenclature to the word, then both would be classed as Canis familiaris. However due to the uniquely long period of dog domestication, with both canids living wild and that they are genetically 'pure' (well prior to modern feral dogs), then both tend to be classed as separate species.
Scientific nomenclature was never well designed to deal with domesticated breeds and the difference between species or subspecies is often pretty subjective.
 
birdsandbats said:
Aren't Domestic Cats usually considered a full species nowadays, too?
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Felis catus as opposed to the wild silvestris. Most domestic forms have their own binomial now. Rabbits are one exception to the rule (same name for both wild and domestic, Oryctolagus cuniculus).
 
tetrapod said:
Felis catus as opposed to the wild silvestris. Most domestic forms have their own binomial now. Rabbits are one exception to the rule (same name for both wild and domestic, Oryctolagus cuniculus).
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To be accurate, domestic cats were domesticated from Felis libyca rather than Felis silvestris.

I suspect the reason for the rabbit exception is the short period of time they have been kept as a domestic animal.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
To be accurate, domestic cats were domesticated from Felis libyca rather than Felis silvestris.

I suspect the reason for the rabbit exception is the short period of time they have been kept as a domestic animal.
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Depends if you split silvestris into separate species rather than subspecies!
 
tetrapod said:
Depends if you split silvestris into separate species rather than subspecies!
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Which appears to be a very strongly-supported split; if memory serves me correctly the only way to get the genetics to work out if one lumps Afro-Asian Wildcat and Eurasian Wildcat is to also include Sand Cat!
 
Tiger said:
I think water buffalos, zebu's, prairie dogs and probably several fish species.
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Zebus and Domestic Water Buffalo are often split as their own species. Domestic Goldfish are a unique subspecies, but there's no other domestic fish taxa. There's no domestic prairie dogs, given there aren't even captive breeds where did you get that idea?
 
birdsandbats said:
Zebus and Domestic Water Buffalo are often split as their own species. Domestic Goldfish are a unique subspecies, but there's no other domestic fish taxa. There's no domestic prairie dogs, given there aren't even captive breeds where did you get that idea?
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koi: am i a joke to you?
 
birdsandbats said:
Koi aren't their own taxon.
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Which is correct, as koi carps are simply just a coloured variation of their wild relative; the Amur carp.

Goldfish? They’ve been bred and captivated so much, that they are basically their own taxon.

However released goldfish can produce offspring with the wild colour, but only after a few generations, Snake Discovery has done a great video, it’s entitled “Why you shouldn’t release goldfish” or something along the lines
 
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