Allopatric Speciation
Allopatric speciation is a common mode of speciation in which a population of a single species becomes divided, geographically isolating part of that species from the other part. This can happen when a physical barrier, such as a desert or a city, divides the populations where one group of a species is on one side and the other group is on the other side, apart from one another. Allopatric speciation can also occur when populations of a species drift apart or disperse. When allopatric speciation occurs, variations and unique characteristics can flourish within a population, but be entirely different from other species populations found elsewhere. These variations occur as a form of adaptation and survival in response to their …show more content…
Some flies lay their eggs in a relative of the hawthorn that was introduced in the 19th century, an apple. Now there are two groups of that species, one that lays eggs in hawthorns and one that lays eggs in apples. They are believed to be undergoing the process of sympatric speciation. (National Geographic Society, 2017)
Sympatric speciation can also occur when natural selection drives a species population to extremes, known as disruptive selection (Coyne, 2007). Another form of disruptive selection in regards to sympatric speciation can occur in mate discrimination. Which is when one sex prefers different types of the opposite sex, such as female insects preferring different types of male insects (Coyne,