Re: Race is Phenotypic Variation
John Collier (pljdc@alinga.newcastle.edu.au)
4 Dec 1994 06:12:31 GMT
MarieEliz (marieeliz@aol.com) wrote:
: In article <23SEP199414135019@elroy.uh.edu>, st26h@elroy.uh.edu (JAMES
: BENTHALL) writes:
: "race" comes from breeding populations: i.e. dominant phenotypes arise in
: breeding populations that produce certain characteristics, such as skin
: color. these are useful in one's environment. skeletal remains do not show
: any evidence for race except for these similarities that arise, such as
: stature, etc.
: Marie E. Seitz
: Anatomy/Anthropology Grad. Student
It is worth adding that in studies on breeds of dogs, so far it has
been impossible to use cladistic analysis of genetic variation to
separate the breeds. There is basically no usable information in a
fairly large amount of available data. The methods used have been
_very_ succesful in classifying sister species, even with a much
smaller database. Wolves, incidentally, are as closely related
genetically to other dogs as dogs within a single breed are. In other
words, there appears to be at present no usable genetic basis for
distinguishing dog breeds as separate clades. I trust the implications
for human "races" are apparent.
--
John Collier Email: pljdc@alinga.newcastle.edu.au
Philosophy -- U. of Newcastle Fax: +61 49 216928
Callaghan, NSW, AUSTRALIA 2038
|