The Butterfly And The Caterpillar?

[I_Hate_Infinity]

I heard on QI that biologists are now working through a theory that the caterpillar is more than just a lava of it's adult form, the butterfly. They suggest that it may be two different species!?!! The theory is, that in the cocoon the caterpillar under goes metamorphosis, reworking it's DNA to create the body of a butterfly!!

I know nature is often bizarre but surely this can't be true? Any biologists know of this research? And what's is your opinion on the notion?

Infinity

[heathfield]

It's not that they are different species, but that they evolved from two different species...

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=national-academy-as-national-enquirer

[wildwood]

Seeing as how closely related species such as apes and humans can't breed together, I doubt very much if insects and worms could have cross bred. If by some unknown miracle this could happen than it would make sense that a worm with wings would have been the result.

Evolution happens with mutations within a species and very occasionally closely related species may be able to successfully breed in special geographical circumstances.