Rethinking the Rules of Extinction and Survival: Scientists May Have Cracked the “Aging Process” in Species
A new study led by the University of Kansas might resolve a mystery in the “aging process” in species — or, how a species’ risk…
Species News
In biological terms, a species is the basic unit of classification and a fundamental category of taxonomic organization, defined as a group of living organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring under natural conditions. This concept, commonly known as the biological species concept, emphasizes reproductive isolation whereby members of the same species share a genetic closeness that typically prevents them from successfully reproducing with members of other species. However, there are several other concepts of species, such as the morphological species concept (which classifies species based on physical characteristics) and the phylogenetic species concept (which classifies species based on evolutionary history). The definition and criteria can vary, making species classification a complex and sometimes controversial area in biology, particularly in cases of hybridization, speciation, and organisms with asexual reproduction.
How Does One Species Become Many? Scientists Have Confirmed Darwin’s Hypothesis
Employing data from four species of Darwin’s finches on the Galápagos Islands, a team headed by McGill University has validated a long-held theory that the…
Fundamentally Altering Previous Thinking – Two Bee Species Have Become One
A recent study conducted by researchers from Curtin and Flinders Universities reveals that what were previously believed to be two distinct species of native Australian…
Darwin’s Unanswered Question: Unraveling the Secrets of Species Abundance
Over the years, global observations of biodiversity have revealed a potential consistent pattern indicating how many species are common, extremely rare, or fall somewhere in…
Global Biodiversity Shift: Widespread Species on the Rise
Anthropogenic changes have a positive impact on species with a wider distribution. Human actions are hastening shifts in biodiversity and causing rapid alterations in species…
Scientists Discover a New Way To Make Species
An evolutionary biologist’s team has found a new type of speciation. The evolution of a new species by hybridization of two previously described species with…
Missing for Decades: Researchers Identify Over 500 Species As “Lost”
A new study has identified 562 lost species An international study provides the first worldwide assessment of all terrestrial vertebrate species that have not been…
Earth Is Teeming With Strange Life Forms—With Many Species at the Equator
UChicago scientists investigate biodiversity question with innovative approach. Earth is teeming with strange life forms—crabs with 12-foot-long legs scuttling off the Japanese coast, mushrooms that…
Scientists Surprised to Find New Species of Horseshoe Bats
There are way more species of horseshoe bats than scientists thought. If you’ve never seen a horseshoe bat, you’re missing out. Their comically large ears…
Tiny Dracula Ants: New Species of Subterranean Hunters
Six new species of subterranean ants from the genus Prionopelta have been discovered in Madagascar and the islands of Seychelles. Dubbed Dracula ants by these…
At Least a Third of All Marine Species Are Still Unknown
The most comprehensive assessment of ocean life has revealed that one-third to two-thirds of all species are still unknown to science. The scientists published their…
New Frog Species Discovered Living in New York and New Jersey
The yet unnamed amphibian was discovered by a team of researchers in the ponds and marshes of Staten Island, mainland New York, and New Jersey….
Rapidly Retreating Glacial Ice Leaves Species Threatened
The rapidly disappearing glaciers are altering more than the physical landscape, as a recent analysis suggests. Species that live in streams and rivers that flow…
New Shark Species Bythaelurus Giddingsi Discovered in Galapagos Islands
Deep-sea dives around the Galapagos Islands have uncovered a new species of catshark, about 1.3 feet (40 centimeters) long. Bythaelurus giddingsi was discovered by scientists…
Researchers Conclude Torosaurus and Triceratops Are Different Species of Horned Dinosaurs
After a detailed structural analysis of 35 Torosaurus and Triceratops skulls, researchers at Yale University have determined that Torosaurus and Triceratops are different species, but…
Limbless Amphibian Family of Caecilian Order Discovered In India
An entirely new family of limbless amphibians has been discovered, hiding away in the soils of northeastern India. The creatures are part of the caecilian…
First Hybrid Sharks Discovered Near Australia
As one of the oldest species on the planet, Sharks have had millions of years of evolution to perfect their predator form, and now sharks…
1,000 Hidden Species Found in Australian Outback
The Australian Outback might seem lifeless, but under the hot, dry surface, it is actually teeming with life. A group of researchers in Australia, looking…