Biological evolutionary theory and species Benzon uses species as the sole example of biological evolutionary theory. Species are by definition sexually reproductive units, but most organisms reproduce asexually and cannot be classified as species per se. Examples are bacteria, viruses, and many plants and lower animals. Thus, only to speak of species as examples of evolutionary biology is not representative of empirical reality. Asexual reproduction is very important in biology.
Borrowing is more common in the asexually then in sexually reproducing organisms.
Therefore, it must not be overlooked in the discussion of the prevalence of borrowing in biological and cultural evolution. In biology, viruses can transmit genes over lineage-boundaries, and in bacteria plasmids are exchanged between strains. Benzon mentions that some plant species may mix their gene-pools and that animals now also are suspect of this. Because borrowing is so extensive in 'lower' organisms biologists often cannot use the classification rules that were developed to classify species. By saying this, he seems to accept Dawkins' view of memes as replicators.