Hybrids are the offspring resulting from the mating of two distinctly different plant or animal species or subspecies. They carry two alleles of the same gene which can create more favorable characteristics in the offspring. However, animal hybrids are often sterile and the process of creating hybrids can be long and expensive. There are several types of hybrids including intra-specific, inter-specific, inter-generic, single cross, double cross, three-way cross, triple cross, and population hybrids. For hybridization to be successful, the hybrid must be created at the unicellular stage and the hybrid parents must have similar genetic structures.

1. Hybrids By: Ally Zeitz, Gary Courtney, Tim McGinley, Sam Barton

2. What are Hybrids? Synonymous with heterozygous Any offspring resulting from mating of two distinctly homozygous individuals or species Can be plant or animal

3. Why Hybrids? Genetic hybrids carry 2 alleles of same gene Create more favorable and desirable characteristics in species Can generally then reproduce with one another Makes offspring with favorable characteristics.

4. Why Not Hybrids? Animals reproduced are often sterile Can be a long and expensive process to create Could they be harmful to humans when eaten on a regular basis?

5. Intra-specific Hybrids between different subspecies within one species of animal or plant

6. Inter-specific From completely different species Found within the same genus Bred through mating Offspring receive characteristics from both parents Hybrids are often sterile

7. Inter-generic Hybrids from different genera Genera: plural of genus, a category of animals ranked below family and above species. Formed from a group of species

8. Types of Hybrids Single cross: created from two regular species who can produce own offspring Double cross: cross between two F1 hybrids Three way: cross between one F1 parent, and one from an inbred line Triple cross: crossing 2 three way hybrids Population hybrids: one population is bred with another

9. Rules of Hybrids There are limitations when making hybrids The hybrid must be created when organism is still unicellular to be sure that each cell has specific genes Hybrid “parents” must have similar genetic structures

10. Animal Hybrids Must be manmade Do not yet have a high success rate Often do not make it past the first few years of life Can still differ greatly from other hybrids made exactly the same way

11. Plant Hybrids More successful than animals Can often reproduce without side effects Plants can become hybrids on their own through pollinating and spreading seeds Created by humans to perfect the different plant species