Phylogenetics and the Origin of Species

A recent criticism that the biological species concept (BSC) unduly neglects phylogeny is examined under a novel modification of coalescent theory that considers multiple, sex-defined genealogical pathways through sexual organismal pedigrees. A competing phylogenetic species concept (PSC) also is ev...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1997-07, Vol.94 (15), p.7748-7755
Main Authors: Avise, John C., Wollenberg, Kurt
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alleles
Biological taxonomies
Biology
Demography
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
Evolution
Evolutionary genetics
Genealogy
Genetics
Models, Genetic
Papers from a Colloquium
Phylogenetics
Phylogeny
Population genetics
Speciation
Species
Species Specificity
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A recent criticism that the biological species concept (BSC) unduly neglects phylogeny is examined under a novel modification of coalescent theory that considers multiple, sex-defined genealogical pathways through sexual organismal pedigrees. A competing phylogenetic species concept (PSC) also is evaluated from this vantage. Two analytical approaches are employed to capture the composite phylogenetic information contained within the braided assemblages of hereditary pathways of a pedigree: (i) consensus phylogenetic trees across allelic transmission routes and (ii) composite phenograms from quantitative values of organismal coancestry. Outcomes from both approaches demonstrate that the supposed sharp distinction between biological and phylogenetic species concepts is illusory. Historical descent and reproductive ties are related aspects of phylogeny and jointly illuminate biotic discontinuity.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.94.15.7748