Sympatric speciation
Sympatric Speciation
Sympatric speciation (pronunciation: sim-pa-trik spee-see-ay-shun) is a process of evolution where new species evolve from a single ancestral species while inhabiting the same geographic region.
Etymology
The term "sympatric" is derived from the Greek words "syn" meaning "together" and "patra" meaning "fatherland". The term "speciation" comes from the Latin word "species" which means "kind" or "sort".
Overview
In sympatric speciation, a species evolves into a new species without geographical barriers that physically separate populations. This is in contrast to allopatric speciation, where geographic isolation leads to the formation of new species. Sympatric speciation can occur through various mechanisms such as polyploidy, sexual selection, and ecological speciation.
Polyploidy
Polyploidy is a condition in which the cells of an organism have more than two paired sets of chromosomes. This can lead to sympatric speciation, especially in plant species.
Sexual Selection
Sexual selection is a mode of natural selection where members of one biological sex choose mates of the other sex to mate with, and compete with members of the same sex for access to members of the opposite sex. This can lead to sympatric speciation as different traits are selected for in the population.
Ecological Speciation
Ecological speciation is the process by which ecologically based divergent selection between different environments leads to the creation of reproductive barriers between populations. This can lead to sympatric speciation as populations adapt to different environments within the same geographic area.
Related Terms
- Allopatric speciation
- Peripatric speciation
- Parapatric speciation
- Reproductive isolation
- Genetic drift
- Founder effect
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Sympatric speciation
- Wikipedia's article - Sympatric speciation
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