If you could make any one species go extinct, which would it be?

In My Humble Opinion
1

For the sake of the hypothetical, let’s just say that god exists, and he has decided that a species must go extinct. God has the following six in mind:

  1. Humans
  2. Cats
  3. Dogs
  4. Pigs
  5. Chickens
  6. Cows

God isn’t sure which one he wants to kill off, so he has taken a die and replaced the numbers with a picture of each species.

But for reasons understandable only to God, he has decided to give you half an hour to choose which species should get the ax. You are not limited to the above six, but if you do not make a choice, He will roll that die, and whichever one comes up is the one that will die. The death will be instantaneous as soon as you choose, or God rolls the die, whichever comes first.

What do you kill?

2

Mosquitos

3

Well, I might be angering God with this line of reasoning, but I’d pick a species that’s already near extinction and without much significance to human society. The Hula painted frog is my choice.

4

Seconded.

5

Do viruses count? My understanding is we puny humans are pretty close to eradicating polio on our own, so having the Big Guy step in and mop it up for us should be pretty unproblematic.

It’s kind of debatable if viruses are “alive” and therefore have “species”; if the decision is that they therefore don’t count, we could go with the bacterium that causes tuberculosis or the protozoan that causes malaria.

If it has to be something macroscopic, then I vote for “cat fleas” (Ctenocephalides felis) because fuck those little fuckers.

6

Yellowjackets, without a moment’s hesitation. Burn in hell, you evil-tempered minions of Satan.

7

What species is God considered to be?

8

Malaria.

9

This. If that’s not allowed I guess mosquitos. Out of the six in the OP I’m tempted to go with the first one. But I can live without chickens. And tons of things could be substituted that taste like chicken.

10

I vote for Internet Trolls.

The world would be soooo much more awesome!

11

Agree. Read the title and though mosquitoes, there is no better option.

12

Going with the options given, I would say chicken. I hate chicken anyway, and I suppose I could learn to eat a different type of egg.

13

Black flies are way worse than mosquitos. At last you can kill mosquitos, but black flies are too fast, and they leave welts that bleed.

14

There are over 3,500 species of mosquito. The OP specified one.

Same trap of course with far fewer species to parse, but in this case I assume Plasmodium falciparum which would be a pretty solid choice.

15

Mosquitos are a vector for over a dozen different diseases though. You get the most bang for your buck by getting rid of them.

16

Ditto. I have read a couple of articles making the case that they would not be overly missed by anything.

17

In this case, I’m a lumper, not a splitter.

18

There are various species of cats, too, if you count lions and lynx and such. So mosquitoes it is. All of 'em.

If that loophole doesn’t stand up in court, screw the rules. Mosquitoes, period.

19

this. seriously, fuck yellowjackets.

Bees are fine. yes, they can sting, but usually don’t want to. they pollinate flowers, and some make honey. most wasps are solitary and mind their business, and won’t mess with you if you don’t mess with them.

Yellowjackets? total fucking crackheads. they get all up in your business and no matter how you react they’ll probably sting you.

20

It’s an entire family of insects people!

sigh

Okay, okay - I know. Nobody likes a pedant at a cocktail party. You guys have your fun. But when those heavily armed thugs from the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature get here, I’m gonna point them in your direction and go “right that way gentlemen.” :stuck_out_tongue: