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| Reproductive Isolation |
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| Reproductive isolation is the inability of members of different species to interbreed in nature. |
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| Reproductive isolation |
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| a) is essential for a species to maintain its distinct identity. |
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| b) contributes to the formation of new species making organic evolution possible. |
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| But, reproductive isolation is not a universal phenomenon. There are a number of examples where members of two different species interbreed under captivity or laboratory conditions. |
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| For e.g., |
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| i) Horse (Equus cabalus) and donkey (Equus asinus) belong to different species, but can interbreed under captivity and produce sterile hybrids. |
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| ii) Lion (Panthera leo) and tiger (Panthera tigris) belong to different species, but in captivity, interbreed and produce fertile hybrids. |
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