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> The exception is the platypus, which has several chromosome sections line up with microchromosomes... Even at this level, the platypus is a strange creature.
by mcbishop 5y ago
> The exception is the platypus, which has several chromosome sections line up with microchromosomes...
Even at this level, the platypus is a strange creature.
- feoren 5y agoOne really has to wonder if we're all missing something with the platypus. Did some extremely unlikely gene transfer happen at a scale, and across taxonomic distances, that nobody has ever thought possible? There is some N where repeating the argument "it's just a quirk that they're so different" N different times starts to not feel like the simplest explanation any more. Are we absolutely certain there's no way a frisky duck-oid forced itself on an unlucky shrew-oid and in a one-in-a-billion stars-aligning miracle, managed to produce a viable offspring? (Edit: I guess they'd have to produce at least two ...)
- pmcarlton 5y ago> Are we absolutely certain there's no way a frisky duck-oid forced itself on an unlucky shrew-oid and in a one-in-a-billion stars-aligning miracle, managed to produce a viable offspring? Yes.
- antifa 5y agoThe playpus is basically an early fork of the tree before placentas and marsupials, and the entire commit tree is squashed under Antarctica, which use to be a life filled continent connecting Australia to South America. https://youtu.be/rQRDc2SKw2I https://youtu.be/rQRDc2SKw2I
- throwamon 5y agoNah, this should be easily verifiable by simply comparing the DNA of a platypus to that of a bird. I haven't done that, but I bet I know how it would turn out.
- mcbishop 5y agoSometimes different (but related) species can reproduce... sometimes the offspring aren't sterile. Your comment makes me wonder what two most-different species have done this.