Cryptic species complex

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In biology, a cryptic species complex is a group of species that satisfy the scientific definition of species — that is, they are reproductively isolated from each other — but which are not morphologically distinguishable. The individual species within the complex can only be separated using non-morphological data, such as from DNA sequence analysis, bioacoustics, or thorough life history studies. They can, but need not be, parapatric, quite often are sympatric, and sometimes allopatric.

Examples:

• Gray-cheeked thrush and Bicknell's Thrush
• tapaculos
• Astraptes fulgerator

A related concept is the superspecies. This is a group of at least two more or less distinctive species with approximately parapatric distributions. Not all cryptic species complexes are superspecies, and vice versa, but many are. A superspecies consisting of two sister species species is called a species pair.

Examples:

• Puffinus puffinus group of shearwaters - not a superspecies, but the P. yelkouan group formerly contained therein is indeed one.
• Phylloscopus collybita group of leaf warblers
• tapaculos

[edit] See also

• Ring species

[edit] External links

• Shellee Morehead, Jon Seger, Don Feener and Brian Brown, A cryptic species complex in the ant parasitoid Apocephalus paraponerae (Diptera: Phoridae)