I think most people would be quite surprised by the answer, which I found at the QI column at The Telegraph.
And are there more species of dogs than horses? A yes-or-no answer is sufficient here.
Before you click the link, do your best to come up with answers on your own. I will also post the answer in the Comments in case the source undergoes linkrot.
You learn something every day.
"There is only one species of dog. All dogs, no matter how different in appearance or size, can breed with each other. Other single species include the horse, koala, aardvark and … coconut."
ReplyDeleteWell that is a little misleading... there are a lot of species in the Canidae family which might be considered "dogs." (i.e. the African Wild Dog).
ReplyDeleteThough all domesticated dogs are just Canis Lupus (same as the Grey Wolf), just one species, but are part of the same subspecies "familiares."
QI has that issue a lot. I love the show, and Stephen Fry, but a lot of the questions are irritatingly vague. It would have been clearer if it had included the word "domestic."
ReplyDeleteI want a pitbull-corgy in that case please.
ReplyDelete@ Robb: I have seen a shepherd- chihuahua.
ReplyDeleteSpecies is an almost meaningless designation when talking about "fruits" of domestication. All of the following vegetables are from the same species of plant, Brassica oleracea:
ReplyDelete- kale and collard greens
- Chinese broccoli
- cauliflower
- cabbage
- brussels sprouts
- kohlrabi
- broccoli
Species on the whole is a near meaningless word.
ReplyDeleteI hope jaundicedi means a German Shepherd dog amd a chihuahua :)
ReplyDelete