CASE #1
African indigobirds lay their eggs in the nests of different species of finches. The newborn indigobirds act as though they belong there and as adults they incorporate the songs of the finches into their own mating calls. The blue indigobird species lays eggs in the nests of both the African firefinch and the
Black-bellied firefinch. The newborn indigobirds learn the songs of their foster parents and seem to have evolved into two different “populations.”
The two populations can still interbreed. However, female indigobirds prefer suitors who know the same songs that they do. For example, female indigobirds that grow up in an African firefinch nest tend to lay eggs in the same type of nest rather than a nest belonging to a Black-bellied firefinch.

CASE #2
There are a wide variety of domesticated dog breeds. Most of these are capable of breeding with each other to produce mixed offspring that feature a combination of the traits of the parents.
For example, Poodles and Pekingese can be bred to produce what some have referred to as Peakapoos. These mixed breeds are healthy and can reproduce with other dogs.

CASE #3
A liger is the offspring of a female tiger and a male lion. In contrast, the tigon is the offspring of a male tiger and a female lion. These two species do not breed in nature because their habitats are mostly different. Lions live in open grasslands while tigers live in forests. In captivity, it is possible to produce ligers and tigons. Male ligers are sterile but female ligers are fertile and can be bred to either tigers or lions.

CASE #7
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. In contrast, the hinny is the offspring of a male horse and a female donkey. The mule is easier to breed and larger in size than the hinny. For these reasons, the mule became an important domesticated animal. Horses have 64 chromosomes while donkeys have 62. Mules have 63 chromosomes, which cannot evenly divide. This accounts for the fact that mules are sterile.

CASE #5
Wholphin or Wolphin is a rare hybrid, born from a mating of a female Bottlenose Dolphin with a male False
Killer Whale The name implies a hybrid of whale and dolphin, although taxonomically, both are within the
“oceanic dolphin” family, which is within the “toothed whale” suborder. Although they have been reported to exist in the wild, there are currently only two in captivity, both at Sea Life Park in Hawaii.
Kekaimalu, the first wholphin in captivity, proved fertile when she gave birth at a very young age. The calf died after a few days. However, in 1991, Kekaimalu gave birth once again, to daughter Pohaikealoha. For 2 years she cared for the calf, but did not nurse it (it was handreared by trainers). Pohaikealoha died at age 9

CASE #6
Hooded crows and carrion crows look different, and largely mate within their own groups — but in some areas, they hybridize. This “hybridization” or the process of making a hybrid happens naturally in the wild and produces fertile and viable offspring.

CASE # 4
These two “ gaudy commodore” butterflies look quite different. There wing color and pattern varies depending on the season during which they were born. The butterflies at the top were born under different temperature and light conditions than the ones at the bottom. Despite the differences in their coloring and wing shape the two butterflies reproduce in nature to produce fertile and viable offspring.

CASE #8
These two game foul have very different appearances. The female is small and grey and the male is much larger with a long tail and a more vibrant colouring. The two breed naturally in the wild and produce viable and fertile offspring.

Date:___________________ Name:___________________
Case Study Activity- Are They The Same Species?
Case
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Same Species?
(circle)
YES/ NO
YES/ NO
YES/ NO
YES/ NO
YES/ NO
YES/ NO
YES/ NO
YES/ NO
Reasoning- Why did you say yes or no?