Which term refers to hybrids that survive but are healthy and fully viable but produce fewer offspring than typical crosses due to fertility issues?

Which term refers to hybrids that survive but are healthy and fully viable but produce fewer offspring than typical crosses due to fertility issues?

• A. Phylogeny
• B. Reduced Hybrid Fertility
• C. Hybrid Breakdown
• D. Reduced Hybrid Viability

Answer: (B)

Hybrids can be viable and healthy but still have trouble reproducing. This situation is described by reduced hybrid fertility. The genetic differences between the parent species can disrupt meiosis in the hybrid, so it produces few or abnormal gametes, leading to fewer offspring than would be expected from typical crosses. A classic example is the mule (horse × donkey), which is generally healthy but sterile, illustrating reduced hybrid fertility. This differs from reduced hybrid viability, where hybrids don’t survive to reproductive age, and from hybrid breakdown, where the first-generation hybrids are viable and fertile but their offspring have reduced fitness or fertility.

Hybrids can be viable and healthy but still have trouble reproducing. This situation is described by reduced hybrid fertility. The genetic differences between the parent species can disrupt meiosis in the hybrid, so it produces few or abnormal gametes, leading to fewer offspring than would be expected from typical crosses. A classic example is the mule (horse × donkey), which is generally healthy but sterile, illustrating reduced hybrid fertility. This differs from reduced hybrid viability, where hybrids don’t survive to reproductive age, and from hybrid breakdown, where the first-generation hybrids are viable and fertile but their offspring have reduced fitness or fertility.