If there are two species of butterfly that are able to mate but produce sterile offspring, are the offspring considered a new species?

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Biology

Mcknight

4 May, 17:56

If there are two species of butterfly that are able to mate but produce sterile offspring, are the offspring considered a new species?

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Gillian Lynch · Answer 1

No. The offspring is not considered a new species. By definition, a species are organisms that are capable of exchanging genes and can successfully breed together. Since the offspring is sterile and cannot interbreed, it is not considered a new species.