what makes one species different from another species?

Answer 1

This is what's referred to as the 'species problem' (link 1) and doesn't have an entirely clear-cut answer.

Generally speaking, a species is a GROUP of creatures who generally can and do produce viable offspring similar to themselves. You are a member of that group if you can do likewise.

Things are still considered part of a species even if they can't reproduce with EVERY member of the species. And creatures that don't reproduce sexually are generally considered one species if their offspring are indistinguishable.

So, to put things on their heads, what makes someone a DIFFERENT species is if it can't produce viable offspring or otherwise doesn't resemble you near enough that the offspring are indistinguishable. Hope that helps!

Answer 2

well the DNA makes every one of us unique and not only the species of animals. but let me tell you this: every animal has a different role in life and this role is again unique for any kind of animal.and this role to be different gives different abilities to each species.those abilities may be the way a animal thinks, acts, appears, sex life, and in general there is no organism that is totally in common with an other.

Answer 3

That is a tough oNE. It gets really tricky at the bacteria level. They are mostly functional definitions based on physiology and structure and/or DNA.

For larger organisms, the basic definition is two organisms are the same species if they can produce viable offspring.

Answer 4

There is much controversy over this, don't forget all classification is man made

generally organisms are in the same species if their adult forms can interbreed and produce fertile off spring

But as this is a man made distinction there are of course exceptions

http://www.black-and-white-to-color.com

Answer 5

DNA