A Japanese view on speciation: "Sumiwake" explosive speciation of the cichlids in Lake Victoria.
Imanishi's "mental" (cerebral) view of speciation is presented, in Mizuhata's revision. The key concept here is the "ethological partition" of the species. Members of each species=society (etho-species) share the same mental (brain) software, irrespective of their genetic structure. Cerebral animals perform active programmed selection, not to be confused with passive, non-programmed "natural selection" as in Neo-Darwinism. The program includes mating-choice of peculiar characters, distinct from the Neo-Darwinian sexual selection supposed due to the specific choosy genes. Speciation can occur, as a "partition of species=society", with bifurcation of mate-choosing program in the parent species. A main promoter for this bifurcation is species-specific "passion" for especially significant characters: long necks, ornamental antlers, ocelli feathers, bright nuptial colors etc. The cichlids in Lake Victoria achieved explosive speciation, while retaining their genetic homogeneity completely. Therefore it is illogical to attribute this divergence to extraordinary mutations in "action controlling genes". The origin of species=society (etho-species) can trace along to the Cambrian Period.
Kawamiya
Nobuo
N
School of Economics, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Japan. kawamiya@mecl.chukyo-u.ac.jp
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D023681:Cichlids / Q000502:physiology*; D005618:Fresh Water; D007564:Japan; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal