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 Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 4:30 pm
Gee, I had no idea that Gnomes started as some kind of crossbreed. I mention gnomes in a story of mine but they have been extinct there for ages. Isn't that curious? mrgreen I suppose it's cuz I don't know much about them and I didn't want to explain how they are or whatever.
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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 1:09 am
Actually, I wanted to come up with some real world crossbreeds - or point out the real world crossbreeds and stray away from the fantasy for a second. Cow's and Yak's can crossbreed = > I saw a cow giving birth to one of these, and it was disgusting! In one of our zoos, can you imagine? Donkey and a Horse = > known as a mule, but they can't breed with anything else, even their own kind. Lion and a Tiger = > Seen one of these in a zoo once, it had the tiger's stripes but they were all faded out, and had the features of a lion. You could tell it was a crossbreed. So crossbreeds do happen in the real world between different species of animals, you would think a lion and a tiger wouldn't bother mating, wouldn't you? And I think the griffin is a crossbreed between an eagle and a lion. I wouldn't say that's possible because a lion would see a eagle and go YUM! Some are possible, some aren't, it's just a matter of imagination and "benefit of the doubt." Another point: just because it hasn't been seen, doesn't mean it isn't real. There was a case of this a few years back that had something to do with a type of undiscovered lizard. The locals had known about it for centuries, but it only became a documented and "discovered" species recently, because science hadn't "seen" it. That's my two cents worth.
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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 9:36 am
The most unusual of those I find is the lion/tiger one. That's bizarre.
With regards to creatures like griffons though, I see them as something similar to a chimera. I don't think chimeras are natural. I see them as alchemical experiments almost. I'd say they're the sort that could be created by alchemists and wizards.
However, if a male and female of each species were created (much like Adam and Eve), then I think reproduction naturally within the species could occur.
It's just the originals that aren't naturally plausible in my mind.
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Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 5:38 pm
The lion/tiger crossbreed is interesting, actually. The one I saw had the lions colour, and tiger's stripes. So while I know crossbreeds are possible, I agree with you on something like a griffin. Griffin's are more likely to see eagle's as prey then potential mating partners. An eagle will take flight - in the very sense of the word. Wouldn't stop to have a mating session, no matter how willing the lioness. As for the chimera, refresh me on what exactly that is? It's been awhile, and I'm thinking it's some combination of snake, lion and something else?
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Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 8:16 am
I believe I chimera doesn't have to be a mix with a lion, though it does have to mix different creatures. Though I'm probably wrong. As for something like a griffon I'm with Mel, I think of them as creations rather than animal crossbreads.
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Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 8:23 am
Chimeras are traditionally part lion, part snake, part goat, and part bird or whatever.....but really they're meant to be a mixture of two or more beings/creatures.
If a griffon was itself just a natural species, it wouldn't be a chimera, but if the two animals were fused together it would be. I've preferred that stance since I watched Fullmetal Alchemist. You need to watch the whole series to really understand that idea of chimeras.
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Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:20 pm
SirKirbance I particularly dislike cross-breeds in either fantasy or sci-fi. Maybe this is because as a biologist I know that the definition of a species is a group of organisms that can reproduce. If two "races" could breed they would be the same species. This might make sense if the "races" were very similar with only minor differences. Real world example might be pygmies in Africa. They are small - like hobbits a little perhaps - but still humans. That is why you take breeding out of the equation and resort to using labs, DNA splicing and a guy with no social life smile I think people get away with making crossbreeds because they don't have different species but different ethnic groups. Elves, humans, perhaps even dwarfs, (for example) they are all 'humanoids' with close enough DNA allowing them to breed. Things like dragons and griffens and so forth are subspecies of the same race so they can. It's how I justify it in my works anyways.
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Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 11:56 pm
I'd say it's the same thing that allows a lion and a tiger to breed. They are technically both big cats, though not the same species of cat. They are still closely enough related so that it allows them to inbreed, creating my afore mentioned example.
If you have two species that are similar to one another, close as possible in DNA then it is possible they can get pregnant, and can produce offspring. So if I really wanted to get technical, I could say in real life a human COULD (not that they'd want to) produce offspring with an ape of some sort.
That leads me back to Griffins. If someone injects the DNA from these two into one egg, then I can see it happening, scientifically. Or if there is a sound explanation, like in many other fantasy books that doesn't include those particular animals mating. Otherwise it's impossible, the DNA would be just too different to be real.
But I think we're all of the same mind anyway, it can exist, as long as there is a sound explanation for it.
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Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 4:41 pm
hmm, a lot of good points. This thread has sure been busy since the last time I was here. I don't even know for sure if there's something I can add right now cuz I'm somewhat sleepy... mrgreen
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Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 7:24 pm
Nyxix Donkey and a Horse = > known as a mule, but they can't breed with anything else, even their own kind. As are most real-world cross-breeds, if I remember my 100-level biology course correctly. Something to do with the mule's contributed haploid not being able to bond with the mate's contributed haploid to form the double-helix. Heh... biology's not my thing. Too squicky. sweatdrop Quote: Another point: just because it hasn't been seen, doesn't mean it isn't real. There was a case of this a few years back that had something to do with a type of undiscovered lizard. The locals had known about it for centuries, but it only became a documented and "discovered" species recently, because science hadn't "seen" it. *sigh...* I'm just... going to suggest talking to a science historian about that one and leave it at that. I am so not going back to that debate on this forum... Berz.
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Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 1:31 pm
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:18 pm
Ah yes, wiki has lots of info about a lot of things.
You know, I just wanted to point out what my thoughts on the chimera are: To me, a chimera is like a fusion of 3 or more animals to make one entirely new animal. I've seen many different versions of this "Chimera" to think that it's as regular or average as, let's say... a centaur, for example.
It's quite interesting to see how many animals some people can mix to make a chimera. Don't you think everyone?
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 6:07 pm
Chimeras are pretty interesting and can make a good creature for a story seeing as they can range greatly in size and power. And yeah Wiki really does have a lot of good information for this kidna stuff.
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 3:51 am
Chimeras are said to be vicious aren't they? They're not meant to be "approachable" as it were. At least in some of the games I've played they've been that way.
I was thinking that if they're fused together as they are in Fullmetal Alchemist, then they may have ferocious tendencies because they've been fused, their DNA and genetic structure has been messed with and they're probably in a lot of pain. However, pain could lead them to be either vicious OR reclusive. In Fullmetal Alchemist, the first chimera to be created is shy and reclusive because of the pain it's in.
I suppose those things could depend on the kinds of creatures that are merged as to what their instincts turn out to be.
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Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:02 pm
Yeah they usually are quite vicious. Most things born from Echidna(if your following the legends) would be. San in the case of FMA chimeras...I think I'd be pretty pissed off if I'd been fused into something elses body...
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