This is a list of genetic hybrids which is limited to well documented cases of animals of differing species able to create hybrid offspring which may or may not be infertile.
Hybrids should not be confused with genetic chimeras, such as that between sheep and goat known as the geep. Wider interspecific hybrids can be made via in vitro fertilization or somatic hybridization; however, the resulting cells are not able to develop into a full organism.
Nomenclature
The naming of hybrid animals depends on the sex and species of the parents. The father giving the first half of his species' name and the mother the second half of hers. (I.e. a pizzly bear has a polar bear father and grizzly bear mother whereas a grolar bear's parents would be reversed.)
A group of about 50 hybrids between Australian blacktip shark and the larger common blacktip shark was found by Australia's East Coast in 2012. This is the only known case of hybridization in sharks.[1]
In 2020 hybrids were announced from different families of fish, American paddlefish (Polyodon spathula) and Russian sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii). Accidentally created by Hungarian scientists, they are dubbed "sturddlefish."[2]
Hybridization between the endemic Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer) and the widely distributed American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) is causing conservation problems for the former species as a threat to its genetic integrity.[10]
Saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) have mated with Siamese crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) in captivity producing offspring which in many cases have grown over 20 feet (6.1 metres) in length. It is likely that wild hybridization occurred historically in parts of southeast Asia.
Dzo, zo or yakow; a cross between a domestic cow/bull and a yak.
Beefalo, a cross of an American bison and a domestic cow. This is a fertile breed; this, along with mitochondrial DNA evidence,[11] has led bison to occasionally be classified in the genus Bos.
In 2014, DNA analysis showed the clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene) to be a naturally occurring hybrid species descended from the spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) and the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba).[14]
Bengal cat, a cross between the Asian leopard cat and the domestic cat, one of many hybrids between the domestic cat and wild cat species. The domestic cat, African wild cat and European wildcat may be considered variant populations of the same species (Felis silvestris), making such crosses non-hybrids.
At Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom, a cross between an African elephant (male) and an Asian elephant (female). The male calf was named Motty. It died of intestinal infection after ten days.
Red kite and black kite: five bred unintentionally at a falconry center in England. (It is reported[weasel words] that the black kite (the male) refused female black kites but mated with two female red kites.)
Red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) and common black hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus): one and possibly two offspring produced naturally in Sonoma County, California, US.[18]
In Australia, New Zealand and other areas where the Pacific black duck occurs, it is hybridised by the much more aggressive introduced mallard. This is a concern to wildlife authorities throughout the affected area, as it is seen as genetic pollution of the black duck gene pool.
Killer bees were created in an attempt to breed tamer and more manageable bees. This was done by crossing a European honey bee and an African bee, but instead the offspring became more aggressive and highly defensive bees that have escaped into the wild.[dubious – discuss][citation needed]
In 1994, a hybrid was made between longan (Dimocarpus longana) and lychee (Litchi chinensis)[22]
A list of plants that can hybridize under the same genus (Interspecific introgression, allopolyploid origin, and interspecific hybrid origin) can be found here: List of plant hybrids
^Koulischer, L.; Tijskens, J.; Mortelmans, J. (1973). "Chromosome studies of a fertile mammalian hybrid: the offspring of the cross bongo × sitatunga (Bovoidea)". Chromosoma. 41 (3): 265–70. doi:10.1007/BF00344021. PMID4691550. S2CID7987737.
^ abEugene M McCarthy (September 2006). "Handbook of Avian Hybrids of the World". The Quarterly Review of Biology. 81 (3). Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press: 294. doi:10.1086/509448. ISBN0-19-518323-1. ISSN0033-5770.
Govorushko, Sergey (2018). "Economic and ecological importance of termites: A global review". Entomological Science. 22 (1): 21–35. doi:10.1111/ens.12328. S2CID92474272.
