Take a moment if you will and move from fish to flowers (as hybrids). Move down from Family, to Genus, to species, and then you will discover subspecies. I think this would be more in line with what are talking about. F-1 = First filial generation or the first generation offspring from the parents. Offspring from the F1 hybrids are called F2 hybrids. Some will look like the parents, others like the original (grandparent), and entirely new combinations are also possible. You never know due to the uncontrolled environment and most importantly the role genetics play. Survival of the fittest is derivative of the traits needed for the particular environment of the subject. Introduce the dominant gene which varies in each subspecies based on need (and often just chance), and you are presented with a wide variety of possibilities.
Quote from a link below:
"Things start to get complicated when variation within species needs recognition by use of further names. When plants have a wide distribution in the wild, natural selection and evolution work at different rates in different areas, especially if populations become geographically isolated. Such populations are often distinguished as subspecies (abbreviated to subsp. or occasionally ssp. but this can easily be confused with spp., the abbreviation for species plural, so is not recommended), easily attributable to the species but differing in significant characters. Once a particular population is recognized as a subspecies and given a name, plants typical of the species automatically become a subspecies bearing the name of the species."
http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/plantnaming.asp I enjoy horticulture also, so pardon all the plant analogies but please do not dismiss them.
So to summarize, F-8 GG’s are still GG’s but with different characteristics than those of the parent stock.
Any other posts on this will be continuing in a circular pattern with you and I continuing to bump our heads together. So we will agree to disagree, respect one another’s opinions, and leave the truth to science.
Deb
