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by JediMasterThrash » Sat Aug 21, 2010 8:36 pm
Beautiful crabs!
They do look physically similar to ones I picked up at PetCo a few years ago, but with a bit of a rose-hue to the top side (hence the name I spose!), though the BP looks the same purple. LOL they look almost weighed down by the overside BP sometimes. But still beautiful either way. Can you take some close-ups to point out some distinguishing features?
I also love the crab sitting in the chair LOL I need a chair in my tat now.
Technically though, you can't "verify" a species. A named species is always a hypothesis, as there are a dozen different ways to define species, and the whole tree is in constant flux. But significant DNA difference definitely would be good evidence for different species.
There's distinct populations that can physically breed, but don't, and might still be considered separate species. There's distinct populations A,B,C where A&B and B&C can breed, but A&C can't. Is that one, two, or three species? A statistical interpretation of DNA better compares populations. What amount of DNA difference is necessary to conclude a new species? There are many cases where populations have an amount of DNA differences, and have minor physical differences, but are still the same species.
Anyway, I don't doubt it's a new species. I just think the proper phrase should be "strong evidence through DNA".
[edit]I found the number. The human species is 99.9% identical DNA, but each human differs in the 0.1%, which still constitutes 3 million base pairs. Color variation alone I wouldn't use a a key factor. Many species, including humans, have permanent stark color variations.
Last edited by
JediMasterThrash on Sat Aug 21, 2010 8:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
JMT.
Stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking crab-herder since '92.