What is a Species? Crash Course Zoology #13

Today, in the penultimate episode of Crash Course Zoology, we're going to use everything we've learned so far to try and figure out what a "species" even is anyway! As you'll see, the incredible diversity of animals makes it really difficult to fit animals into neat categories so scientists have employed a variety of approaches to categorizing animals.

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[SpiderdayNightLive]

TIMESTAMPS FOR SPIDERS/ARACHNIDS
1:39 -> 1:46 Several, animated (intro)
2:54 -> 3:01 Several, illustrated (excerpt of old species descriptions)
9:47 -> 10:08 Several, animated (dancing paradise spiders)
10:22 -> 10:23 Several, animated (male paradise spiders with big bushy eyebrows)

As a spider scientist (and the science consultant for CCZoo), I love these wonderful animals, but I realize that being startled by a spider can be scary (even if you like them!). An important part of overcoming arachnophobia is building positive interactions with arachnids on /your/ terms, so hopefully this helps some of y'all do so and enjoy the videos.

[ImThylacine]

As someone who is both fascinated with and knowledge about biology as well as an avid Pokémon fan, the Thought Bubble section was filled with much-appreciated Easter eggs. (Honestly, I've been trying to figure out what egg groups mean for realistic Pokémon biology for years now!)

[hecateo]

Got a glimpse of a pokemon and I just slid in

[MDNphil]

Ngl pokemon make a great allegory for biology and taxonomy

[bananaforscale]

What when your Ursus Stuffulus turns into Ursus Bewearus? 😬

[aperson]

Next and final episode? Already? I'll miss you.😞

[KingsleyIII]

I'm impressed. Thought Cafe did their Pokemon homework. Stufful can learn Baby-Doll Eyes and Flail, and can breed with Ponyta ("horses"), Wailmer ("whales"), and Mareep ("sheep").

[mortuos]

YouTube! why did it take 13 episodes for you to notify me this crash course existed?
well at least I get to binge it now...

[NijiRanger]

It's very cool to see how the question of "what is a species?" so closely maps onto "what is a language?". It feels like all the main elements are there. Common ancestry, gradual changes over a geographic area, mixing of traits, and so on. The biggest difference i guess, is that languages can "interbreed" even if they're very distantly or not at all related.

[happyslapsgiving]

I was so convinced in the first definition, the one about making non sterile offspring.
Now all I knew about the subject turned out to be a lie.
Good to know.

PS: That thing is clearly related to a red panda.

[JoseELeon]

Im a simple man, i see pokemon reference, i like

[susanjimenez]

Next and final episode...??? Say it ain't so... i love this series! 😭

[leejiawei]

I'm not ready for the last episode noooo ;w;

[goldenheart]

I'm a simple human. I see Stufful, I click.

[interacaoanimal-interzoa]

Love the pokemon reference. So many children became zoologists or biologist due to pokemon. Me included. And now, many children will become zoologist because Rae and CC Zoology. Thank you. Love you guys.

[epauletshark]

Discovering a new species had been a goal of mine since childhood.

[BrandonSchleifer]

And sometimes, totally unrelated species look very similar due to mimicry or convergent evolution. For example, a whale looks more like a fish than an elephant, and stick insects are not even closely related to woody plants.

[jorgerangel]

I am loving this series, the host is just lovely and the content super interesting.

[mdexterc]

The Ursus Stuffulus says "ursus stuffulus"

[shaadahmad]

sNUFFUL? u here? guys i'm telling you he was right here..here in my pokeball.wait...