ding between two species of modern-day howler monkeys in Mexico. This is shedding light on why it's so difficult to confirm instances of hybridization among primates -- including early humans -- by relying on fossil remains. According to genetic studies, Neanderthals may have bred with anatomically modern humans tens of thousands of years ago in the Middle East.This is hard to believe amongst most individuals. It's a hard concept to accept that humans were once mated with monkeys. They study was based on analyses of genetic and morphological data collected from live-captured monkeys over the past decade. Morphology is the branch of biology that deals with the form and structure of animals and plants.
The study was done with two different primate species. They were the mantled howler monkeys and black howler monkeys; which both diverged about 3 million years ago and differ in many respects, including behavior, appearance and the number of chromosomes they possess. Each occupies a unique geographical distribution except for the state of Tabasco in southeastern Mexico, where they coexist and interbreed in what's known as a hybrid zone. The researchers found that individuals of mixed ancestry who share most of their genome with one of the two species are physically indistinguishable from the pure individuals of that species.
Its interesting to look at the hybridization of animals and realize that most of them cannot sustain a population independent of the two parent populations and often cannot reproduce with one another. The only thing that can separate a species into two separate ones are the principles of divergent evolution. The gradual changing of mating behaviors, environmental factors, and food preference via genetic alteration all contribute to this. I look at hybrids as a quick form of evolution, but one that cannot possibly sustain itself. Were we close enough related to neanderthals to produce viable, fertile offspring? Look at certain quantitative inherited traits amongst mankind and one would be eager to draw such a conclusion.
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