You are an experienced naturalist and biologist and you observe two birds mating that you do not believe to belong to the same species. The eggs from this breeding do not hatch, and when you obtain one of the eggs, you find embryonic development stopped not long after fertilization. Which of the following conclusions is supported by these observations?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that the eggs failed to hatch and embryonic development stopped soon after fertilization suggests that there were post-zygotic reproductive barriers preventing successful reproduction between the two birds. This means that even though the two birds were able to mate and produce offspring, there was likely something genetically incompatible between them that prevented the offspring from developing properly.

You Are an Experienced Naturalist and Biologist and You Observe