yerfukkinbaws t1_j514tql wrote
Reply to comment by beezlebub33 in Given that reproduction is difficult or impossible when both animals have different numbers of chromosomes, how did so many species evolve to have so many different numbers of them? by MercurioLeCher
> During reproduction, the chromosomes have to line up in order for them to produce offspring.
Just to be clear, chromosomes do not line up during reproduction. They only pair during meiosis, which is the production of sperm or eggs, but not during fertilization or embryonic development (mitosis). So chromosome number has absolutely zero effect on whether two individuals can produce offspring together, but may affect the fertility of their offspring.
This confusion over when chromosome pairing happens leads to a lot of the misconceptions around chromosome number.
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