Allopatric speciation: examples and characteristics

Allopatric speciation occurs When there is a geographical or physical division which causes two new species to be generated from an initial. This type of speciation initially originates from an extrinsic cause and oblivious to organisms, but then causes internal changes.

The division of a species into two new species occurs because the conditions in both places are so different that they cause organisms to have to develop particular adaptations to the environment. These differences result in drastic changes that prevent the two groups of the same genus from reproducing among them, resulting in two different species.

Some situations that can cause this type of speciation are:

• Separation of continents: generated by tectonic plates.
• Change of river channels.
• New mountains, volcanoes or mountain ranges: that are erected by creating a physical barrier.
• Landslings.
• Separation without physical division: Only for very remote distances.
• Wrecks.
• Migration.
• Deserts that separate communities.

This is the Type of more frequent speciation and of which you have the most examples. We will review some later. It is also the type of speciation that occurs faster. In addition, thanks to this mechanism is that today there is so much richness of biodiversity over time.

For a more general vision, you can consult this ecology article about what is speciation and examples.

Within this classification there are three types of allopatric speciation:

• Geographical or vicarious speciation: It occurs when a species is separated into two large communities and remain isolated, until they manage to form a new species.
• Speciation through peripheral populations, or peripatric speciation: Some organisms begin to move away from the central population and are distributed in marginal areas, causing a gradual decrease in the genetic flow between both communities until it disappears. This will form two new species that are not compatible to reproduce with each other.
• Speciation applicable to asexual species: There is no genetic flow between populations because individuals reproduce without exchanging genetic information. Even so, they can form new species, mainly due to pressures by the environment.

Now that we have already seen what the allopatric speciation and its characteristics are, in addition to the types of allopatric speciation that exist, we will know some of the examples that have occurred throughout history.

Isthmus of Panama

Three million years ago a Union between Central America with South Americaseparating the Pacific Ocean from the Atlantic. Here many species separated, such as lobsters Alpheus that new species on each side of the isthmus were created from an initial. It was genetically tracked that the species separated after geological formation.

Drosophila In Hawaii

These fruit flies arrived from an island to other smaller islands and in a short time they managed to create new species. Thus many species of Drosophila. Genetically it was also verified that this was what happened and that the newer species coincided with the newer archipelagos. You may be interested in taking a look at this other article on the parts of the fly in Ecology Verde.

Mountain gorilla

There are currently only two communities Gorilla Beringei Beringeieach of them extremely isolated because of environmental pressures such as agriculture and the high human population that reduces their space. This is a great example of allopatric speciation occurring right now and we can expect in the future that these two communities according to separate species Due to lack of genetic recombination between both communities.

Are gorillas in danger of extinction? Discover the answer to this question below.

Salamandras Desmognathus

A study was done on the reproduction of these salamandras throughout the area where they are distributed and discovered that The more they moved away of the central community, less reproduced each other. Are Salamanders poisonous? If you are wondering, do not hesitate to find out the answer.

Darwin’s pinzones

The Galapagos Islands are composed of 13 separate islandsand on his boat trips Darwin discovered that there were different pinzones for each island. This was key to its theory of evolution and is closely related to allopatric speciation.

Each island had different conditions and food Available, and the pinzones had to respond to this by modifying their peaks. This is how new species formed for each island.

Marina Vaquita

This little cetacean originated from climatic changes from the thorny marsopepas Phocoena spinipinnis. She is endemic to South America, but Some individuals migrated towards the Gulf of California, adapting to this new habitat and giving rise to PHocoena Sinusor marine vaquita.

The latter is endemic to Baja California in Mexico and was discovered just in the twentieth century. Unfortunately It is in critical danger of extinction for having a low reproduction rate and for being captured in fishing networks.

Do not hesitate to read this post about why marine vaquita is in danger of extinction in ecology.

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