"Are you sure about this? I was under the impression that hybrids did in fact play out into their parental phenotypes. When two hybrid bluegills breed, a percentage of the offspring will largely have a bluegill phenotype, and a percentage will have a green sunfish phenotype, I might be wrong, but this was my understanding. In fact I am fairly certain that I have witnessed it."


Take a look at this on outbreeding depression.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outbreeding_depression

Once the GSF and BG genes are mixed in a HBG they can't revert to what their parents were genetically (at least not in a short time like a few years/lifetimes). HBG are 90% males +- and so there are not many females to spawn. Plus fecundity is very low. So the probability of an ongoing HBG population undoing the cross genetically through evolution/selection is exceedingly small. What I believe you are seeing is the result of outbreeding depression as noted in the link.



Last edited by ewest; 09/21/10 09:53 PM.