? for Prof. Paul

[(Designer)toodlepops]

Guess I'm not listed as a designer so I couldn't post this in the design ? section.

 

Anyhoo, PP, need to know how many species of bears there are in the world if you could answer please? :254:

[(Professor Emeritus)Professor Paul]

This is my own view

Single species group

 

Polar Bear

Giant Panda

Spectacled Bear

Asian Black Bear

Sun Bear

Sloth Bear

 

American Black Bear Group

 

American Black Bear

Glacier Bear

Kermode's Bear

 

Brown Bear Group

 

Eurasian Brown Bear

Grizzly Bear

Kodiak Bear

Amur Bear

Syrian Brown Bear

 

There are differences in the skull types in the brown & black bear groups between each type,& as this was thought sufficient to seperate the Sumatran & Mainland Clouded Leopards I've reverted to the older classification for the bears.

[Guest zoomeister]

Prof. Paul, are you saying that skull types are the only difference for making classifications for bears? Or are there other classifications that are looked at such as weight, fur, coloration, eating habits, etc?

[(Professor Emeritus)Professor Paul]

They use a number of factors.Skull & physical differences is just one,more & more they are comparing DNA,many species are being seperated on DNA evidence,more on behavioural differences;the South Hills Crossbill was made a full species on that evidence.

[IcePengwyn]

We're having a similar problem in orchids with DNA testing - some species or genera getting split, others getting lumped. Some make no sense! Right now it's all quantitative, but I personally feel they need to do some qualitative DNA study as well.