adaptive radiation
The evolutionary process whereby species that are descended from a common ancestor diverge to exploit different ecological niches.
allopatry
Referring to species living in different geographic locations and separated by distance alone or by some barrier to migration such as a mountain range, river, or desert. Compare with sympatry.
area-effect speciation
Speciation that is associated with an increased differentiation of two subspecies that have incompatible gene complexes, so that hybrids are strongly selected against.
convivium
A population within a species which is isolated geographically and different from others within the same species, usually a subspecies or ecotype.
deme
A group of organisms in the same taxon. The term is used with various prefixes that denote how the group differs from other groups. For example, an ecodeme occurs in a particular ecological habitat, ...
hybrid
The offspring of a mating in which the parents differ in at least one characteristic. The term is usually used of offspring of widely different parents, e.g. different varieties or species. Hybrids ...
phylogeography
The study of the geographic distribution of genealogical lineages in order to determine the evolutionary history of species, subspecies, and populations. In animals, phylogeography is largely based ...
polytopism
(polytopic evolution)A type of monophyletism in which a new (polytopic) taxon arises in more than one place from conspecific parents. The chances of this happening simultaneously, except perhaps in ...
polytypic
Describing a species that exists in a variety of forms or subspecies that inhabit different geographical regions. Compare monotypic.
polytypism
The occurrence of phenotypic variations between populations or groups of a species that are geographically distinct. It is contrasted with polymorphism, which is variation within a population or ...
race
1 (in biology) A category used in the classification of organisms that consists of a group of individuals within a species that are geographically, ecologically, physiologically, or chromosomally ...
ring species
Two species with a looped or ringlike distribution pattern, for example circumpolar, which comprises a series of interbreeding forms that are intermediate between the two species. The latter occur ...
species
n. the smallest unit used in the classification of living organisms. Members of the same species are able to interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Similar species are grouped together within one ...
taxonomy
(adj. taxonomic, taxonomical)The formal classification of organisms, soils, or any other entities, based on degrees of relatedness among the items being considered.
type locality
The location of the first described specimen of a species or subspecies, or where a particular rock type, stratigraphic unit, fossil, or mineral, was first identified.
variety
A category used in the classification of plants and animals below the species level. A variety consists of a group of individuals that differ distinctly from but can interbreed with other varieties ...
vicarious distribution
The distribution that results from the replacement of one member of a species pair (i.e. two closely related species derived from a common ancestor) by the other, geographically (as opposed to ...
