The polar bear is not a "polar bear"

Classification of the story: the polar bear is not a "polar bear"

Although the classification was born in the beginning is easy for people to have a unified understanding something.

However, this "consistency" when it is not easy to obtain. Importantly, these opinions do not necessarily come from biology itself, but may be derived by other factors. Culture and conservation of the power of even ethics are more or less impact on the development of biological classification.

Polar bears endangered dilemma makes it difficult to be downgraded to the subspecies of the brown bears.

Panda Ailuropodamelanoleuca

Panda classification main have three views: belongs to the raccoon family, genus belonging to the Giant Panda bear branch; and the establishment of a cat Red Panda bears.

In 1885, United Kingdom scholar Al Walter (Mivart) first introduced Panda belongs to the raccoon family.

Previously, France zoologists Gervais (Gervais) has made giant pandas belong to bear branch point of view. First century advanced, Western scholars through molecular biology methods, deduce the Giant Panda is approximately 150 million to 250 million years ago from a bear. Currently, most Western scholars supported this view. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red data book of endangered species and endangered species of wild fauna and flora in international trade Convention (CITES) in the Appendix, and other international documents into the giant panda bears.

Some people think should be separate to the giant panda.

Giant pandas, the earliest scholars from the United Kingdom (Pocock) wave cock. In 1986, the Beijing Zoo and Panda system Anatomy and the organs and tissues of observation that many of the features of the Giant Panda is further to the ancestors, should be separate for a branch. In the Chinese animal Chi · Carnivora "also clarified the taxonomic status of the giant panda branch.

In China, this is a generally accepted idea.

This point of view, the Giant Panda and black bear, raccoons, animals have a greater difference. For example, the giant panda tylotites distinctly short bones than bear strong thick waist and pelvic relatively large, and so on.

Pristina Bo grass forest Zapushudsonius tiaoshu

United States the Rockies in Pristina Bo grass forest tiaoshu also to taxonomists are brought.

In order to determine whether they are worthy of protection, the United States fish and Wildlife Service to scientists for research. The results show that Pristina Bo grass forest tiaoshu is a unique species.

Since 1998, Pristina Bo grass forest tiaoshu therefore justifiably be considered an endangered species.

However, in early 2006, Pristina Bo grass forest tiaoshu classification have called into question. At that time, biologists Lei MI (RobRamey) found that Pristina Bo grass forest tiaoshu genes with a common Bill Lodge (BearLodge) grass forest tiaoshu same. Thus, the priest Bo grass forest tiaoshu became an endangered subspecies, protection of urgency relative lower. In 2005, the United States Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton (GaleNorton), and therefore proposed the Pristina Bo grass forest tiaoshu from Government's endangered species list.

United States Geological Survey scientist Tim · gold (TimKing) has firmly stated that Pristina Bo grass forest tiaoshu and other types of grassland and forest tiaoshu is entirely different.

While the United States National Center of Denver ecosystem biologist Robertson (ErinRobertson) said: "scientists have been stressed the unique nature of forest and grassland tiaoshu to ensure its continued protection. ”

Polar bear Ursusmaritimus

This year, the United States Government began to consider eva

luating the polar bear under the endangered species Act protection scope. Due to the effects of global warming, Arctic ice cover is shrinking rapidly. This directly affects the polar bear's survival. Therefore, the polar bear is considered a future decades may be extinct animals, the largest, most attention.

However, researchers have been on the polar bear's independent position quite weici species.

Despite the appearance vary greatly, but polar bears and brown bears can still produce a hybrid.

Between these two animals has no clear "reproductive isolation" phenomenon, but this phenomenon is the fundamental difference between the species.

The study found that the polar bear and brown bears of relationship is very close to each other.

A significant difference between the two, but is about 20 million to 50 million years ago. In other words, in Zhoukoudian historical site, the polar bear this animal has yet to appear. But the latest DNA studies also support this view.

Therefore, some zoologists propositions, the brown bears and polar bear to merge these two species, one of them, become another subspecies.

However, this same face to the obstruction of animal protectors, they think the polar bear is treated as a separate species has been a long time, we all have to accept the view. More importantly, once the independent status of the species, polar bear protection canceled work might be weakened.

Chimpanzees Pantroglodytes

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Yale University Professor Sibley (CharlesSibley), researchers from 1973 to start using DNA technology for animal classification.

Since the 1980s, they began research on primates found in DNA., chimpanzee, bonobo, gorillas and humans, chimpanzees and Bonobo two closest 0.7% difference. While both human and Chimp differences, only one 1.6. and the differences between chimpanzee DNA is far less than many other classified within the same genus. Some scientists have therefore proposed, in accordance with the current taxonomy, man is the Primate eye people section in the case of a sole species. But from the human and chimpanzee DNA similarity, people cannot separate branch, if not impossible, to establish a separate genus, but should work with the other two chimpanzees are classified to the same.

The question now is, Linnean taxonomy was established by the animals derive an important rules, i.e. priority naming rules.

According to the animal named International Convention, in the case of a body (Homo), the genus name precedes the chimpanzee genus,, bonobo chimpanzees and should be attributed to this case, "the legal status of the person". Obviously, this is one of the most unacceptable requirements.

New thematic interviews reporter Li Jian-

This special appreciated:

Wang literary (Chinese Academy of Sciences, academician, researcher)

Wang Zi Xuan (Chinese Academy of Sciences researcher at the Institute of natural history of science and technology)

Are warmer countries (Zhejiang University life sciences Professor)

Related reading:

The Giant Panda is "the bear" or "cat"