Is this what it looks like?

[mb90078]

It's not dilution, it's eradication of everything that made it a tetra. What's the point? The end result is basically... nothing. Neither tetrataenia nor whatever the hell else that is. Infernalis, parietalis, concinnus? Whatever. There's no justification or excuse for it.

A tetra isn't a tetra anymore though, that's the problem. The overly-restricted gene pool of purebreds in captivity makes the pure bloodline as undesirable as a hybrid to some people (so long as it's correctly advertised as one).

[Stefan-A]

A tetra isn't a tetra anymore though, that's the problem. The overly-restricted gene pool of purebreds in captivity makes the pure bloodline as undesirable as a hybrid to some people (so long as it's correctly advertised as one).

A tetra is a tetra regardless of how inbred or undesirable it is.

[mb90078]

A tetra is a tetra regardless of how inbred or undesirable it is.

I would also disagree with this. I would be shocked if all wild tetras don't have some blood lines from other nearby (sub)species. As I've said before, modern humans have Neanderthal DNA (As we all know, humans did not evolve FROM neanderthals, neanderthals briefly co-existed with modern humans, and then died out). I reject the very idea of "purebred" when it comes to animals who in the wild have or have had access to interbreed with other species or sub species.

[Stefan-A]

I would also disagree with this. I would be shocked if all wild tetras don't have some blood lines from other nearby (sub)species. As I've said before, modern humans have Neanderthal DNA (As we all know, humans did not evolve FROM neanderthals, neanderthals briefly co-existed with modern humans, and then died out). I reject the very idea of "purebred" when it comes to animals who in the wild have or have had access to interbreed with other species or sub species.

Yeah, let's just cross all garter species while we're at it. It doesn't matter anyway, since they all occasionally do it in the wild.

[d_virginiana]

Yeah, let's just cross all garter species while we're at it. It doesn't matter anyway, since they all occasionally do it in the wild.

Well, I wouldn't say they all do it. I mean, a Puget and a Florida Blue Stripe would never have the chance to mate in the wild since they both have relatively isolated habitats. But, if you ask me the chance of picking up a Florida Blue Stripe without some Sirtalis in its lineage is kinda low. I imagine the same thing has happened to the wild Tetras in the US.

I don't know if it is an instinct to bring in new genetics or just chance, but it seems like when wild animals are put in a small, fragmented habitat with a small gene pool, you start to see a lot of intergrades popping up. I'd be really surprised if this hasn't happened to the wild US Tetras already. There aren't many, and they share a home range with other species they could easily breed with. Just as an example, NC is home to the last wild population of Red Wolves. There are less than 200, and they are isolated in a swamp wildlife reserve in Manteo. Only problem is, since there aren't many of them, the bloodlines are getting quickly diluted due to coyote crossbreeding. Same thing happens among quite a few amphibian species as well. I just wonder if crossbreeding among the Tetras is the natural next step for a compromised population..