CRYPTIC SPECIES COMPLEX

(Redirected from Species pair)
In biology, a 'cryptic species complex' is a group of species that satisfy the biological 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

★ Two-barred Flasher (suspected)
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 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

Contents

See also

External links

See also

★ Ring species

External links

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