Difference between species and subspecies.

In biology, there are concepts of species and subspecies. What do they mean? What is the difference between a species and a subspecies?

What is a biological species?

Under biological species it is customary to understand one of the basic structural units of the classification of living organisms, denoting a group of individuals that:

  1. have common external features;
  2. have the ability to cross;
  3. evolve within the same mechanisms under the influence of the same factors.

More than 1.7 million species of organisms are isolated in the modern ecosystem of the Earth. At the same time, according to some estimates, several million more scientists have yet to discover in the process of research.

What is a biological subspecies?

Under biological subspecies it is customary to understand the structural unit of the classification of living organisms, which is below the species. In this case, there can be at least two subspecies. If this is not the case, then the biological characteristics of an organism are considered only in relation to its species.

Living organisms, which belong to different subspecies, are characterized by all the characteristics of the species discussed above. That is, they look similar, they can interbreed and evolve within the framework of similar patterns.

But at the same time, they also have tangible differences. As a rule, they are due to the subspecies living in different climatic conditions. This leads to the fact that they can have, for example, a different color or length of wool - when it comes to mammals.

It should be noted that different breeds of dogs and cats, despite the very dissimilar appearance in some cases, biologists, as a rule, refer to the same subspecies. In the case of plants, the subspecies can be supplemented by other ranks of the classification, such as, for example, shape or subform.

Comparison

The main difference between a species and a subspecies is that within the framework of the first rank of classification, living organisms can be combined into one category, which at least have similarity in appearance, are able to interbreed and evolve within uniform mechanisms. If living organisms show significant differences in terms of appearance (when we are not talking about different breeds), and in some cases - DNA, then they are also classified within subspecies.

In addition, some researchers highlight such a criterion as the impossibility of actually crossing different subspecies, despite the fact that it is possible in principle. For example, it happens that males, having got used to the colors of the females of their subspecies, do not react to the appearance of individuals of the opposite sex of the same biological species, but having a different color.

Another criterion is the difference in behavior between representatives of different subspecies. This is largely due to the climatic characteristics of the living organisms. So, those subspecies that live in the desert or steppe are often more mobile due to the need to constantly move in search of water and food than those that live, for example, in forests or jungle and have more affordable food sources.

Note that in some cases the criteria for distinguishing species from subspecies differ depending on the rules adopted in a particular scientific school. For example, Russian researchers may have one, while American researchers may have others.

Having determined what is the difference between a species and a subspecies in biology, let us fix the conclusions in the table.

Table

View Subspecies
What do they have in common?
Organisms belonging to the same species or subspecies, are similar to each other, are able to interbreed, evolve within the framework of similar patterns
What is the difference between them?
If organisms differ slightly in appearance, DNA, behavior, then they can be attributed to the same speciesIf the organisms differ in appearance, DNA, behavior, then can be attributed to different subspecies
It combines organisms that can live at a considerable distance from each other, in different climatic zonesOrganisms, living at a considerable distance from each other and in different climatic zones, can be attributed to different subspecies
It unites organisms that, in principle, can interbreedthe ability to interbreed, but in fact it is difficult, then they can be attributed to different subspecies
.