Hybrid animals always capture our attention with their unique appearances. They are truly a miracle of nature, which we'll explain in this post.
Characteristics of hybrid animals
The first thing we need to know is that not every mixture of animals is viable.
We call a hybrid a creature that is the product of the cross between parents of different species. Although it is not easy to establish how much each of them contributes to the physical appearance of their descendants, it is certain that both mix their traits to give life to their offspring.
But not only the result of the crossing is reflected in the appearance of the offspring. In a common way, hybrid animals tend to be stronger and more resistant than their parents.
In such a way that it is generally man who causes the crossing between some species, in order to benefit from the conditions of the resulting creatures as work animals.
However, this event can also occur in nature.
Hybrid formation
But to reinforce the above, it is important to know that hybridization can occur by two methods:
- Natural hybridization: when the crossing occurs in natural environments, without the intervention of the hand of man.
- Artificial hybridization: when the hybrid is obtained through a procedure, such as artificial insemination, or because man induces the mating of animals in captivity. In the case of plants, artificial pollination is used.
Are hybrid animals sterile?
Something that characterizes most hybrid animals is that they are sterile, that is, they are unable to have offspring. But surely you want to know why this is.
In this sense, we must tell you that each species has its own chromosomal conformation, different from all the others. It is a burden that is passed from parent to child, but for this to happen the genetic sequences need to match at the cellular level during the process of cell division.
It is a process that occurs during sexual reproduction and that gives rise to a new genome.
In this phase the chromosomes of the parents are duplicated and adopt the genetic load of both. In this way, its own characteristics are defined, such as color and size, among many others.
But being two types of unequal creatures, the number of chromosomes may not coincide and therefore not fit into any of the traits of the other parent.
In such a way that if the chromosome N° 1 of the parent is the one that determines the height and the N° 1 of the mother determines the color, the genetic load does not occur properly. This is how the sterility of most hybrid animals is generated.
wise nature
However, nature is wise and still seems not to have said the last word.
It is the case that fertile hybridization is feasible in plants. But the most surprising thing is that global warming seems to be driving the interbreeding of creatures of different species, as a way of survival.
Although most of these matings do not produce an offspring, there is always the possibility that certain creatures from parents of more or less closely related species will eventually produce offspring.
Such a phenomenon is happening between the mice Ctenomys minutus and Ctenomys lami. But for this the first of them must be female and the second male. If this is not done, the offspring will be infertile.
Examples of hybrid animals
To delve deeper into the subject and know what animal crossings there are today, we will immediately mention the most well-known or common cases. Let's see:
narluga
The first in this list of hybrid animals, it is the result of the cross between a narwhal and a beluga. This pairing of sea creatures is unusual, even though both species are part of the same family, the Monodontidae.
Narluga can only be found in Arctic waters and despite being the product of a crossbreeding stimulated by global warming, it is known that the first sighting occurred in 1980.
This new creature reaches six meters in length and weighs about 1600 kilograms.
Liger
This is the name of the result of the cross between a lion and a tigress. The appearance of this hybrid animal is a composition of both parents. This is how the back and limbs usually have the stripes typical of tigers.
While its head is more similar to that of a lion. So much so that even the males develop a mane.
The liger usually measures four meters in length, which makes it the largest feline of all. However, their limbs are shorter than those of their parents.
tigon
But it is also possible that a hybrid of the mating between a tiger and a lioness occurs. This creature is called a tigon. Unlike the liger, the tigón is smaller than its parents, while its appearance is that of a lion in a striped suit. Indeed, size is almost the only contrast between the liger and the tigon.
beefalo
This creature is the product of a cross between a female bovine and an American bison. Here the breed of beef affects the appearance of the calf, although on a regular basis it is more similar to a bulky bovine, with dense fur.
This crossbreeding is usually induced by ranchers. This is because the meat derived from these creatures has less fat than that from pure bovines.
It is noteworthy that among these hybrid animals reproduction does occur, being one of the few fertile hybrids that exist.
Zebrasno
The mating between a zebra and a donkey leads to the birth of a zebrasno or zebrasno. This result is feasible because both species descend from the equidae family.
This mating usually occurs naturally in the African savannahs, where the two species coexist. The zebra does not have a bone conformation similar to the zebra, although with a grayish coat, excluding the extremities, which show a striped pattern on a white background.
cebrallo
This is the only hybrid that zebras can develop, since they are also capable of crossing with another member of the equine family, such as the horse, or rather, the mare.
It turns out that the zebrallo is only possible when the parents are a male zebra and a mare. This is lower than a horse and with little mane, as well as being rougher.
As for its coat, with its distinctive zebra stripes against a background of various colors, this crossbreed produces one of the rarest , yet most beautiful, animals in the world.
balfin
Another strange hybrid animal of the oceans is the balfin. This is the result of the cross between the bottlenose dolphin and a false killer whale.
As the false killer whale belongs to the Delphinidae family, the mating is that of two species of dolphins, so the appearance of this creature is the same as that known in these species.
However, size and teeth are aspects that help identify it. This is because the balfin is somewhat smaller and has fewer teeth than the black killer whale -this is the other name for the false killer whale- and the bottlenose dolphin.
hinnies
This other crossing again involves members of the equine family. This is because the hinny is the consequence of mating between a horse and a donkey.
This crossing is possible thanks to the intervention of the human being, since the two species do not usually coexist in the same habitat. So the hinny is one of the hybrid animals favored by man.
This creature has the size of a horse, although its head is more similar to that of a donkey. Its tail is bushy and the body is almost always robust.
Mula
Inverse to the hinny, from the mating between a mare and a donkey a mule is born. It is a crossing widely used by farmers. It is a creature known and domesticated since ancient times. They can be both females and males, called depending on the case as mules or mules.
The mule must be the most famous hybrid animal in the world, as well as being the most widespread. This is because for several centuries it has been used as a carca and transport animal.
But it must be clarified that it is a sterile animal, so it does not give offspring.
These industrious and stubborn creatures are larger than donkeys, but shorter than horses. But they stand out for being stronger than donkeys and for having a coat similar to them.
pumapardo
Among all types of animals , the following is perhaps one of the least seen and therefore one of the strangest.
The pumapardo is the consequence of the cross between a leopard and a puma. It is more stylized than a cougar and with the tips of the great African cat.
It has short limbs and its appearance is halfway between the two species that give it life.
It is important to clarify that this crossing does not occur naturally, but is a manipulation of man. For this reason, no living individual from this cross is currently unknown.
animal bed
The cama is obtained from the cross between a dromedary and a female llama, perhaps one of the most curious and strange exotic animals , as its appearance stands out for being a complete mix of both species.
In such a way that the head is more similar to that of a llama. While the color of the coat and the rest of the skin is more similar to that of its African parent, except for the hump, since the bed does not have it.
It is another hybrid animal that does not occur naturally, so it requires human participation.
Lesser known hybrids
Now we will present a list of other rare and lesser-known hybrid animals :
- Cabreja (Results from the mixture of goat and sheep)
- Cama (Results from the mixture of the camel and the llama)
- Coydog (Results from the mixture of the coyote and the dog)
- Coywolf (Results from the mixture of the coyote and the wolf)
- Dzo (Results from the mixture of the yak and the cow)
- Savannah cat (Results from the mixture of the serval and the cat)
- Grolar (Results from the mixture of the brown bear and the polar bear)
- Jaglion (results from the mixture of the jaguar and the lioness)
- Leopon (Results from the mixture of the lion and the leopard)
- Tigardo (Results from the mixture of the tiger and the leopard)
- Yakalo (Results from the mixture of the yak and the American bison)
- Zubrón (Results from the mixture of the cow and the European bison)
How are hybrids given their names?
Hybrid animals are usually named using a convention established for that purpose.
So it first bears a part of the parent's species name, followed by the corresponding part of the parent's species name.
hybridization in humans
As a result of genetic analysis, some connoisseurs have come to defend the thesis that in human genealogy, there would have been a hybridization with other older human species.
Among these species they cite that of Homo neanderthalensis. Of this we would have current humans, although more Europeans, between 1 and 4% of their genes.
While our familiarity with this old acquaintance, if the African population is excluded, would ostensibly increase up to 20%.
But in addition, it is now known that in the case of the Neanderthal genome transmitted to people in these times, it would be related to genes for environmental adaptations. Although it would also be related to diseases such as type 2 diabetes, lupus, biliary cirrhosis and Crohn's disease.
Fictional hybrids in mythology
In the folklore of several countries, certain figures made up of parts of fabulous animals can be seen.
These creatures are described as perfect hybrids, although the term chimera is also used to define them. A good example is that the hippogriff represents the hybrid of a griffin and a winged horse. While the Minotaur is the result of the union between Pasífae and the Cretan Bull.
All of these fabulous creatures are made up of aspects of two or more animals, monsters, and even humans. However, some of them offer no reference to being born from two or more beings.
Such is the case of the Harpies and the sirens, although for this reason they could not be defined as "hybrids". This is because they are not the product of a cross between the animals that make them up, but only a mixture.
Examples of fictional hybrids
- Gatonejo or Cabbit: It is the combination of cat and rabbit. Funny figure that represents the Manx cat, a domestic creature typical of the Isle of Man. It does not have a tail and its extremities grow much more to be able to maintain its balance.
- Centaur: Kentaurs and magnesian mares.
- Sphinx: Ortro and Chimera.
- Hippogriff: Horse and Griffin.
- Minotaur: It is the result of the mating of Pasífae and the legendary and fearsome Bull of Crete.