speciation
[ spee-shee-ey-shuh n, -see-ey- ]
/ ˌspi ʃiˈeɪ ʃən, -siˈeɪ- /
noun Biology.
the formation of new species as a result of geographic, physiological, anatomical, or behavioral factors that prevent previously interbreeding populations from breeding with each other.
Words nearby speciation
speciality,
specialization,
specialize,
specialty,
speciate,
speciation,
specie,
specie point,
species,
species-specific,
species-specific antigen
Example sentences from the Web for speciation
British Dictionary definitions for speciation
speciation
/ (ˌspiːʃɪˈeɪʃən) /
noun
the evolutionary development of a biological species, as by geographical isolation of a group of individuals from the main stock
Word Origin for speciation
C20: from
species +
-ation
Medical definitions for speciation
speciation
[ spē′shē-ā′shən, -sē- ]
n.
The evolutionary formation of new biological species, usually by the division of a single species into two or more genetically distinct ones.
Scientific definitions for speciation
speciation
[ spē′shē-ā′shən ]
The formation of new biological species by the development or branching of one species into two or more genetically distinct ones. The divergence of species is thought to result primarily from the geographic isolation of a population, especially when confronted with environmental conditions that vary from those experienced by the rest of the species, and from the random change in the frequency of certain alleles (known as genetic drift). According to the theory of evolution, all life on Earth has resulted from the speciation of earlier organisms. See also adaptive radiation.