Species
From CasGroup
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| - | A '''species''' is a reproductively isolated, independent evolutionary unit which occupies a certain niche. | + | A '''species''' is a reproductively isolated, independent evolutionary unit which occupies a certain [[Niche|niche]]. By definition, species are in biology "the lowest-level classifactory or taxonomic unit for biological organisms" (Keller and Lloyd, 1992). In biology it is a taxonomic group whose members can interbreed: a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. It is one of the basic units of biological classification. |
| - | In biology it is a taxonomic group whose members can interbreed: a group of living organisms consisting of | + | |
| - | similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. | + | |
| - | It is one of the basic units of biological classification. | + | |
| - | The rise of a new species from an ancestor is called [[Speciation|speciation]]. | + | The two defining features are '''interaction''' and '''similarity''': frequent interaction and interbreeding leads to similar individuals, which can be classified by different taxonomic groups. classes, and categories, and similar individuals more frequently interact than dissimilar ones. |
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| + | The rise of a new species from an ancestor is called [[Speciation|speciation]]. A number of speciations leads to a [[Phylogenetic_Tree|phylogenetic tree]]. | ||
== Links == | == Links == | ||
* Wikipedia entry for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Species species] | * Wikipedia entry for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Species species] | ||
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| + | == References == | ||
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| + | * Evelyn Fox Keller and Elisabeth A. Lloyd, "Keywords in Evolutionary Biology", Harvard University Press, 1992 | ||
[[Category:Evolutionary Principles]] | [[Category:Evolutionary Principles]] | ||
