They can't be a different species because we don't know if they can reproduce. There aren't women space marines so we'll never know.
And the reason that is is because that is the only real life solution for evolution to occur. The reason Homo Astartes COULD be a thing is because it is a change of genetics in a replicated manner.
Ah, so our current definition never had the need to include scenarios like that. Since they are changed at a genetic level, I could see why they'd be considered a different species. But we've had multiple species of humans in the past haven't we? So I guess they'd be Homo sapiens astartes, as mentioned before.
no they dont get to mate. they get rid of all testosterone to get rid of the sexual drive that could be distracting.
Salamanders and Raven Guard regularly show empathy. If you read the Salamander series you see that Greed does exist in Space Marines as do the rest, even fear.
Genetically they are still human, heavily augmented, but still human. The bio-enhancements, chem-therapy, and hypno-training doesn't change that. It only gets iffy when the gene-therapy goes wrong, like with the Space Wolves. It is like asking if a cyborg is still human, as long as the augmentation doesn't hit 100% the answer is yes more or less.
