EE Lecture 11: Species and Speciation Flashcards
why do species matter
theyre fundamental unit of biodiversity important in terms of evoln, ecology,conservation
what are main types of definitions for species
- morphological species concept
- biological species concept
- phylogenetic species concept
what is the morphological species concept
species are a collection of individuals with a similar morphology that differ from other such groups
what species concept is one that states species are a collection of individuals with similar morphological traits that differ from other groups
morphological species concept
what is the biological species concept
species are a collection of individuals that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring and there is reproductive isolation from other species
what species concept is one that states species are a collection of individuals that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring
biological species concept
what is the phylogenetic species concept
species are a distinct group that share a common ancestor and can be distinguished from other such groups
give an example of a species that cant be categorized/ defined by any of the species concepts
Conodonts ~380MYA
why cant the Conodonts be defined by any species concepts
not all parts of body fossilise - only apatin mouthparts
theyre extinct - only known from their fossil record
have no known close relatives
give pros of morphological species concept
easy
adaptive traits
give cons of morphological species concept
plasticity in species - polymorphism
eg. worms in hydrothermal vents
cryptic species
purely descriptive therefore subjective
give an example of a species that defies the morphological species concept (plasticity terns)
hydrothermal vent worms show plasticity within the same species
HOT vents: short, fat, flexible white tubes
COLD DIFFUSE VENT: long skinny
initially described as 2 Ridgeia species, but now names R.piscesea
describe classification of Ridgeia piscesae species
they show plasticity dependent on which hydrothermal vent they live in
worms in hot vents are fat and short - flexible white tunes
worms in cold vents are long and skinny
they were initially described as 2 separate species, but now 1
give an example of a species that defies the morphological species concept (due to cryptic)
limpets in deep sea trenches - deep ocean exploration
multiple species with one formn
what are cryptic species
give example
one of two or more morphologically indistinguishable biological groups that are incapable of interbreeding
eg. lepetodrilid limpets in deep sea trenches
vesicomyid clams
what pros of biological species concept
key evolnary concept for sexuals
cons of biological species concept
asexuals
hybrids/ring species
hard to use in practise as need crossing experiments
give an example of species that defy the biological species concept
blue whale and fin whale two different species but can interbereed to bproduce a hybrid
outline differences between blue whale and fin whale
blue whale: darke baleen plates, large dlippers
fin whale: short snout, dark back&flanks
give an example of a ring species
Ensantina salamanders in California
what is a ring species
different species arrange themselves in a circle within their own territories, the ones directly next to eachother CAN interbreed however the ones not directly next door neighbours cant interbreed
which species concept is defied by ring species
biological species concept
what are the pros of the biological species concept
practical guide to delimitation, still based on evolnary concept and applies to asexuals
cons of phylogenetic species concept
cryptic species
taxonomic inflation - where known subspecies are raised to species as a result of a change in species concept rather than new discovery
what is taxonomic inflation
where known subspecies are raised to species due to a new description of species concept as opposed to new species discovery
how has taxonomic inflation affected primates
nearly double, mostly subspecies raised to spcies by phylogenetic species concept
what is speciation
single ancestral pop splits into two genetically distinct daughter pops
what causes speciation
- isolation
2. divergent selection