[Galilean]

Please don’t anyone misunderstand. I’m not for entirely wiping out organisms of any kind (even human pathogens). I just think we may have gotten a little carried away with panic that we are going to lose the Striped Californian Sand Fly.

I’m suggesting that we should acknowledge that while the work past biologist did in classification schemes was good at the time, we have more information now. The classification should reflect that. Instead of progress we are getting an even greater mess because now classifications are being done, not on interbreeding capability but on molecular homology.

For instance, the oft sighted 95% or 96% or 92.3% or 98% comparison of human to chimpanzee DNA is as meaningful as noting the similarities in the lengths of paragraphs in two books. Study the details of these comparisons and you find that it all depends on which enzymes you choose to cut the DNA. Pick different enzymes and you will get a different % match.

I understand the practically of trying to keep purebred fish of natural or “hybrid” types and keeping good records so future breeders will know the history. We should also recognize that it is the hybridization potential itself that makes purebreds valuable. If there were no possibility of hybridization, there would be no point in keeping track.

Also I understand that recovering a “natural” species from hybrids is not as easy or quick as we might hope. This is good reason to be cautious with those “natural” species we prefer as Matt suggests. It is also good reason to be cautious with the “natural” species that other people prefer. But you can only go so far to preserving nature for someone else or future generations before you begin to encroach on your own ability to enjoy it. Any truly “pristine” wilderness can only be enjoyed by the solitary, singular individuals able to do so. Keeping everyone out might preserve certain aspects of it, but then also nobody gets to experience it first hand. So we have to ask the question: who is going to actually reap the benefit of this “preservation”?

In the case of fish breeding, all those who want to see the “natural” species have one joy and those you would rather have clownfish in the colors of their favorite sports team have another joy. Each one should look to preserve rather than sneer at the joy of the other. I sorry if I seemed to oppose the preservation of "natural" species, that it not my intention. Forgive my clumsy words.