[Southack]

"And you are just blowing smoke, because the selection process is much more important than the rate of mutations."

Once again, you are incorrect.

Here's why:

You have a population of a specific animal.

In this population, under one scenario you have zero mutations but large amounts of Selection pressure.

Will you get speciation? No. At most, different pre-existing examples will survive, thrive, or go extinct...but no new genetic changes will be introduced into the DNA itself.

Under the second scenario, you have the same population but with no selection pressures (e.g. a lab or zoo) and massive mutations (e.g. from radiation, viri, etc.).

In this case, speciation *can* occur (e.g. Man-made pigs that produce human growth hormone).

So is "selection" more important to speciation than mutation? Absolutely not, per above.

[CarolinaGuitarman]

"So is "selection" more important to speciation than mutation? Absolutely not, per above."

But your *example* is nonsense. It is never either or. Selection doesn't stop in nature or in captivity. You have ignore completely selection affects.

And you have no idea what the mutation rates are anyway.