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To: reasonisfaith

Dolphin and whale mate to create a ‘wolphin’

Although it is extremely rare, animals occasionally succeed in producing offspring with mates from closely related species.

Scientists believe some actively try to mate outside their own species to increase the diversity of their wild populations.

But most hybrids are born in captivity - which may suggest sexual frustration and proximity are stronger factors.

Kekaimalu the ‘wolphin’ was the result of the union of a bottlenose dolphin and a false killer whale, which is actually a member of the dolphin family.

The two parent animals mated while working together at Sea Life Park in Hawaii and Kekaimalu was born in 1985.

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Her size - 600lbs and nearly 10ft long - colour, and shape are half way between that of her mother and father.

Unlike most hybrids, which tend to be sterile, Kekaimalu had two female calves, both sired by male bottlenoses


228 posted on 04/19/2008 11:39:06 PM PDT by Soliton (McCain couldn't even win a McCain look-alike contest)
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To: Soliton

Your anecdote is not entirely uninteresting. I assume it is meant to help your argument.

However, if you could tell me of a fish of such biological proximity to an amphibian that it could mate with the amphibian and produce offspring, I would find it more supportive of your argument (although only to a very limited extent).


242 posted on 04/20/2008 2:32:29 PM PDT by reasonisfaith (The only way for honorable people to be liberal is to have no idea what conservatism is.)
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