Berk's Forumvine

I've been wondering about this for a while. Is it possible for the dragon species to cross breed? I think that if it was possible, the movies or at least the shows would mention something about it. But I haven't even read a single fanfiction that brings up the possibility of crossbred dragons, and this surprises me. I know that in real life, some species can crossbreed if they are similar to each other. For example, like a lion and a tiger can breed, and so can horses and zebras can breed. It may be important to note these hybrid species are usually sterile, except at least one liger was successfully bred once (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liliger).
Then there are cases like the Eastern Meadowlark and Western Meadowlark. They are almost completely identical, except they have different mating calls, so they probably could breed, but just wouldn't.
Dragons do lay eggs, but we know for from Legend of the Boneknapper that they also have mating calls. Different species of chickens can be crossbred so the offspring will have more meat, so it may be possible for egg-laying species to crossbreed.
If I made any mistakes or left out anything that may be important, please correct me, but because of this, I think that it may be possible for dragons to breed, if they are similar to each other, (For example, a gronkle may be able to breed with a hotburple, but a monstrous nightmare couldn't breed with a thunderdrum.) but they wouldn't unless humans arranged for the male dragons to fertilize the eggs laid by a female of a different species, because the different species have different mating calls.
What are you thoughts? Again, I know I could be wrong about this. Just point out any mistakes I've made.

You know, this made me think. If a Zippleback breed... which head counts a the parent?

But that aside, I think it's a possibility. You know, it has been said in the show that The Screaming Death is the mother(I think) of the 3 Whispering Death's. So, maybe that was a cross breed? I mean, the size difference is pretty noticeable. Who knows?

Actually, what if the Screaming Death is a result of a Bewilderbeast mating with a Whispering Death? I mean, it has the color and size of the former but the shape and behavior of the later. The scream could also be a weaker version of the Bewilderbeast's mind control roar; it does hurt the dragons when they hear it as far as I remember. Now true, the Bewilderbeast is pretty huge for a dragon that small but hey, it's the Alpha species. Maybe they have a lop-hole or something. I might have just over-thought that enitre question but whatever...

hcsp1

04 Nov 2014, 17:14

You know, this made me think. If a Zippleback breed... which head counts a the parent?

But that aside, I think it's a possibility. You know, it has been said in the show that The Screaming Death is the mother(I think) of the 3 Whispering Death's. So, maybe that was a cross breed? I mean, the size difference is pretty noticeable. Who knows?

It was the Whispering Death Alvin had captured that was the mother of the the Screaming Death. The show actually talked about how (If I'm remembering correctly) one Screaming Death was hatched about every Hundred years or so. Doesn't mean it still wasn't a cross breed just the other way around.

Another question to ask though is if the dragons themselves would want to cross breed even. Dragons are usually represented as a very proud and noble creature(sometimes more prideful than noble). With that in mind maybe the thought of cross breeding to them would be a slight to their particular species pride. On that thought though I do also remember reading in Hitchups how this was touched on in a similar way. Toothless mating with another dragon and unwilling to do so for sake of his pride.

Quoting what I said in another thread "how do you imagine other Night Furies":

cometotheberkside

04 Nov 2014, 21:48

(part of this is also posted in Ideas and Prompts > Stories)

I had a theory in mind about Night Furies ever since the Sand/Desert Wraith species came on the game Rise of Berk. Since it is told that Night Furies are related to Sand/Desert Wraiths, could Night Furies just be a genetic variant of them? In the TV show, the Screaming Death is a variant of the species Whispering Death (also, with reddish eyes and white skin, is akin to albinism). Consider black panthers to Night Furies, as black panthers are leopards with melanism (opposite of albinism), would Night Furies be a melanic Sand/Desert Wraith? This would also explain the rarity of Night Furies.

(Also, Toothless' movie look was inspired by a black panther wallpaper (?clarification needed))

(On tumblr I read a post stating that Night Furies may be a crossbreed. this could actually go in the new Hybrid Dragons thread but I'm too lazy to repost it there XD)

I'm more with the Screaming Death being a genetic variant/possibly albino, even than a crossbreed, but both do have its own share of arguments.

Having Night Furies be a crossbreed, though, would likewise explain their rarity.

My quoted theory does have a fault as Sand Wraiths are Tidal class.

@hcsp1 Same goes here. Although Bewilderbeasts are Tidal class and the Screaming Death being Boulder class, there is a lot of similarities in their appearance and personality. It's still possible.

cometotheberkside

05 Nov 2014, 02:35

@hcsp1 Same goes here. Although Bewilderbeasts are Tidal class and the Screaming Death being Boulder class, there is a lot of similarities in their appearance and personality. It's still possible.

One thing to keep in mind though Valkas comment when she introduces the Bewilderbeast. She says that all dragons can draw their lineage back to them. I'm paraphrasing a bit but the similarities could be attributed to that and not because their a cross breed. (But the discussion and possible can of worms you could have trying to link all the dragons back to the alpha/s? would more than likely deserve a topic all its own.) It would be wise before we head down that line of thinking though. That the comment could have been more along the lines of hyping the dragon up in front of her son and not something to be taken as completely factual.

cometotheberkside

05 Nov 2014, 02:35

Quoting what I said in another thread "how do you imagine other Night Furies":

cometotheberkside

04 Nov 2014, 21:48

(part of this is also posted in Ideas and Prompts > Stories)

I had a theory in mind about Night Furies ever since the Sand/Desert Wraith species came on the game Rise of Berk. Since it is told that Night Furies are related to Sand/Desert Wraiths, could Night Furies just be a genetic variant of them? In the TV show, the Screaming Death is a variant of the species Whispering Death (also, with reddish eyes and white skin, is akin to albinism). Consider black panthers to Night Furies, as black panthers are leopards with melanism (opposite of albinism), would Night Furies be a melanic Sand/Desert Wraith? This would also explain the rarity of Night Furies.

(Also, Toothless' movie look was inspired by a black panther wallpaper (?clarification needed))

(On tumblr I read a post stating that Night Furies may be a crossbreed. this could actually go in the new Hybrid Dragons thread but I'm too lazy to repost it there XD)

I'm more with the Screaming Death being a genetic variant/possibly albino, even than a crossbreed, but both do have its own share of arguments.

Having Night Furies be a crossbreed, though, would likewise explain their rarity.

My quoted theory does have a fault as Sand Wraiths are Tidal class.

@hcsp1 Same goes here. Although Bewilderbeasts are Tidal class and the Screaming Death being Boulder class, there is a lot of similarities in their appearance and personality. It's still possible.

The possibility of NFs being a genetic abnormality of the Wraths is a more likely scenario. As shown, they do look alike, and NFs may just be an evolved version of Albino Wraths, built for land and not water. Or air. You get what I'm saying.




The crossbreed option is not completely ruled out, but for a Tidal class dragon to produce a Strike class dragon, it would have to breed with probably either a Skrill or even a Whispering Death. But I guess we'll find out at the end of the series, right? What else can you do but wait

I was able to write this new theory on the Night Fury-Sand Wraith headcannon thanks to my Science lesson (November 6th ) on animal classification.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that specific animals are grouped in a genus together because they have characteristic(s) in common. For example, the lion and the tiger, in the genus Pathera.
Now, let's just say that the Strike Class is a genus, and the lion and the tiger are a Night Fury, and a Sand Wraith.
But how would the Night Fury and the Sand Wraith be grouped into the Strike Class? Well, the Night Fury is already in the Strike Class, but Hiccup could decide to place the Sand Wraith in the Strike Class genus, because it shares a characteristic with Night Furies (they look similar).
Once again, correct me if I'm wrong, but animals in the same genus can breed together. A lion and a tiger can breed, and this could create a liger- which is a hybrid.
So, this could mean that the Night Fury and the Sand Wraith could breed- and create a "Night Wraith" (I'm assuming that's copyrighted by cometotheberkside? ), which would also be a hybrid.
The only problem would be that hybrids are sterile, which means they can't reproduce- with the exception of the liger- which could explain why one has never been seen, or why it's never been mentioned in canon- because if the "Night Wraith" can't reproduce, then it can't give birth to dragonlings, which would make it an official species, and not just a hybrid.

As I've said about two times, and as I'll say again, feel free to correct me on anything I got wrong in the above theory, in terms of classification, and genuses, and whatnot ; I've forgotten a little about my Science lesson.

Also, I think it's awesome that we can have these sciencey discussions about HTTYD!

They can breed so long as they have the same genus as the other dragon. Meaning if a Nightmare's scidentification name was Incentiuis Aduro and a Hobblegrunts was Incentiuis Modus they could breed but their children would be infertile and unable to breed. But if a Nightmare tried to breed with a dragon not with the Incentiuis genus it would not work.

In example if this proverbial Nightmare tried to mate with a Nadder (Nidor Candidus) then no hatchlings would be born as the mother would be infertile to the male dragon.

HideousZippleback

17 Nov 2014, 21:10

They can breed so long as they have the same genus as the other dragon. Meaning if a Nightmare's scidentification name was Incentiuis Aduro and a Hobblegrunts was Incentiuis Modus they could breed but their children would be infertile and unable to breed. But if a Nightmare tried to breed with a dragon not with the Incentiuis genus it would not work.

In example if this proverbial Nightmare tried to mate with a Nadder (Nidor Candidus) then no hatchlings would be born as the mother would be infertile to the male dragon.

Oh... thanks.

Toothless123

17 Nov 2014, 21:42

HideousZippleback

17 Nov 2014, 21:10

They can breed so long as they have the same genus as the other dragon. Meaning if a Nightmare's scidentification name was Incentiuis Aduro and a Hobblegrunts was Incentiuis Modus they could breed but their children would be infertile and unable to breed. But if a Nightmare tried to breed with a dragon not with the Incentiuis genus it would not work.

In example if this proverbial Nightmare tried to mate with a Nadder (Nidor Candidus) then no hatchlings would be born as the mother would be infertile to the male dragon.

Oh... thanks.

You're welcome. I really enjoy talking about science and this was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.