Question

Parapatric species are species found in
A. Adjacent geographic ranges
B. Two ends of a geographical range
C. Same geographical area
D. Overlapping geographic areas

Answer 1

Species refers to a group of organisms in which any two individuals can mate, and produce fertile offsprings of their similar kind by sexual reproduction.

Complete Answer:
Speciation: Speciation is the process of formation of new genetically independent groups of organisms that are called species.
- The formation of new species takes through the process of evolution.

Types of Speciation:
(I) Allopatric Speciation
(II) Peripatric Speciation
(III) Parapatric Speciation
(IV) Sympatric Speciation

(I) Allopatric Speciation: Allopatric Speciation is also called the geographic speciation.
- It is the speciation which occurs when geographic changes.
- Example – Darwin’s finches, grand canyon squirrels, etc.

(II) Peripatric Speciation: Peripatric Speciation is a special type of allopatric Speciation.
- In this type of speciation, new species are formed from an isolated peripheral population.
- In this type of speciation, population can often be difficult to distinguish and it is isolated and prevented from exchanging genes.
- Example- Australian bird Petroica multicolour, London Underground mosquito, etc.

(III) Parapatric Speciation: In Parapatric type of speciation the zones of two separated populations are only partially separated i.e. they live in adjacent geographic areas.
- Due to partial separation these species may come in contact with each other or cross the barrier from time to time.
- Certain isolating mechanisms prevent them from interbreeding. Example – Ensatina salamanders

(IV) Sympatric Speciation: In this type of speciation the new species arise from the survival ancestral species.
- And both the new species and survival ancestral species continue to inhabit the same geographical area.
- Example – in bacteria, in cichlids, in apple maggot flies, etc.
So, from the above discussion it is clear that the parapatric species are species found in adjacent geographic areas.

Hence, option A is the correct option.

Note: There are two ways for speciation to occur.
- In this transformation of old species takes place and forms a new species over time.
- The other way is the splitting of a single species into many species.