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5. Problem of biological species and some concepts of modern evolutionary anthropology

Problem of biological species and some concepts of modern evolutionary anthropology

Mednikova M.B.

Institute of Archaeology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117036, st. Dm. Ulyanova, 19, Moscow, Russia

Mednikova Maria B, Ph.D., D.Sc. , ORCID ID: 0000-0002-1918-2161, e-mail: medma_pa@mail.ru

Abstract

Biological species is one of the most controversial concepts of biology. Some difficulties of its interpretations have been started since Charles Darwin’s works. More grounded concept of species as a polytypic and dynamic system appeared in Nikolai Vavilov’s papers. Concept of biological species by E.Mayr, presenting reproductive isolation as a major criterion, for a long time have been a base for reconstructions of evolutionary anthropology. Today the species concept seems to be not so unequivocal in the papers of evolutionary anthropologists. Some anthropologists have doubts in reproductive isolation, they propose wide interspecific hybridization, cohesion and even syngameons among Homininae. This publication considers some questionable aspects of biological concept of species and evolution of E.Mayr’s views on anthropogenesis. It is stressed that in spite of some complexities of its use in paleontology, Mayr concept has a number of remarkable advantages.

Keywords

biological species, Homininae, polytypic species, interspecific hybridization

Цит.: Mednikova M.B. Problem of biological species and some concepts of modern evolutionary anthropology // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2009; 4/2009; с. 45-56