Week5 PP

Speciation is the evolutionary process by which new species arise. Two types of speciation are sympatric and allopatric speciation. In sympatric speciation, a single species diverges to become two distinct species due to sexual preferences, a separation by a reproductive barrier, or polyploidy. Over time, a single area may have a population experience distruptive selection. For example, consider a plant with different colored flowers. A species of beetles that inhabit the flowers, but have preferences for certain colors will diverege if the preferences are different among the beetles (some prefer red while others prefer yellow). In allopatric speciation, a separation, a geographic barrier between a once united group may cause the species to diverge as well. For example, in a pool that dries up and creating smaller pools, the fish that were once together become separated geographically. Over time, the fish will exert a preference for their own kind if re-united. This too, is an example of speciation of a single species, now separated by preferences due to evolution.