HybriDatabase: A Computer Repository of Organismal Hybridization Data

Todd C. Wood,¹ Kurt P. Wise,¹ Stephanie Mace,¹ Kevin Ingolfsland,¹ Michael Brown,¹ Jennie Burleson,¹ Toni Celius,¹ Matt Clark,¹ Jeromy Clemons,¹ David Dahlke,¹ Sarah K. Drake,¹ Dan Evans,¹ Elgin Gonce,¹ David Haase,¹ Jeff Hall,¹ Paula Heathershaw,¹ Jenny Hughes,¹ Kristin Hughes,¹ Cassandra Joines,¹ Tobi Magill,¹ Sarah Martin,¹ James Mitchell,¹ Benjamin Norquist,¹ Emily Smith,¹ Chad Snavely,¹ Jason Wasser,¹ Amber Woodlee,¹ Jerry L. Kreps,² and D. Ashley Robinson³

¹Center for Origins Research and Education, Bryan College, Dayton, TN 37321

²521 Garber Ave., Lincoln, NE 68521

³665 Idlewild Cir. Apt. B10, Birmingham, AL 35205

Within-group reproductive viability and outgroup reproductive isolation have been hypothesized to be important characteristics of the holobaramin or basic type. The ability of members of a disparate species to hybridize successfully indicates that the species share innate morphogenetic features, and that the species may be phylogenetically related. The minimum membership of many basic types and monobaramins can therefore be quickly approximated by identifying organisms capable of successful hybridization. Unfortunately, large summaries of hybridization data are rare, and the existing records are spread among a variety of scientific books and journals. To remedy this situation, we are constructing an internet-accessible database of known interspecific hybrids as a contribution to the scientific community in general, and to creation biology in particular. The HybriDatabase (HDB) has been designed to provide an exhaustive and electronic catalog of organismal hybridization data. The database is implemented in MySQL with customized CGI perl scripts for querying and generating output. The HDB currently contains all hybrids recorded in Gray's Bird Hybrids and Mammalian Hybrids and 821 other references obtained from a survey of publicly-available databases of scientific literature. In addition to mammals and birds, the hybrid records of the current HDB cover many other eukaryotic groups, including insects, various worms, flowering plants, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and some algae. The HDB is currently implemented on an intranet site at Bryan College, but will be deployed on the internet before the end of 2001. With this data easily available, creation biologists should be encouraged to begin the complex task of systematically identifying basic types and monobaramins.

Please reference: Wood et al. 2001. HybriDatabase: A computer repository of organismal hybridization data. In Helder, M.J., ed. Discontinuity: Understanding Biology in the Light of Creation. Baraminology Study Group, p. 30.