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A species ( pl.: species) is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. [1] . It is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity.
Learn the meaning of species as a set of animals or plants with similar characteristics and ability to breed. See examples of species in different contexts and collocations with related words.
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species, in biology, classification comprising related organisms that share common characteristics and are capable of interbreeding. This biological species concept is widely used in biology and related fields of study. There are more than 20 other different species concepts, however. Some examples include the ecological species concept, which desc...
The designation of species originates in taxonomy, where the species is the fundamental unit of classification recognized by the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature. Every species is assigned a standard two-part name of genus and species. The genus is the generic name that includes closely related species; the gray wolf, for example, is classified as Canis lupus and is a close relative of the coyote found in North America and designated as Canis latrans, their systematic relation indicated by their sharing the same genus name, Canis. Similarly, genera that have shared characters (or traits) are classified in the same taxonomic family; related families are placed in the same order; related orders are placed in the same class; and related classes are placed in the same phylum. This classification system is a hierarchy applied to all animals and plants, as originally set forth by the Swedish naturalist Carolus Linnaeus in the 18th century.
Organisms are grouped into species partly according to their morphological, or external, similarities, but more important in classifying sexually reproducing organisms is the organisms’ ability to successfully interbreed. Individuals of a single species can mate and produce viable offspring with one another but almost never with members of other species. Separate species have been known to produce hybrid offspring (for example, the horse and the donkey producing the mule), but, because the offspring are almost always inviable or sterile, the interbreeding is not considered successful.
Interbreeding only within the species is of great importance for evolution in that individuals of one species share a common gene pool that members of other species do not. Within a single pool there is always a certain amount of variation among individuals, and those whose genetic variations leave them at a disadvantage in a particular environment tend to be eliminated in favour of those with advantageous variations. This process of natural selection results in the gene pool’s evolving in such a way that the advantageous variations become the norm. Because genetic variations originate in individuals of a species and because those individuals pass on their variations only within the species, then it is at the species level that evolution takes place. The evolution of one species into others is called speciation.
Britannica Quiz
Learn about the biological concept of species, how it is used in taxonomy and classification, and how it relates to evolution and speciation. Explore the diversity and complexity of species with examples from animals, plants, and microorganisms.
Apr 28, 2017 · Learn what a species is, how it is classified, and how it evolves over time. See examples of species that can or cannot interbreed, and how climate change affects them.
Oct 19, 2023 · A species is often defined as a group of organisms that can reproduce naturally with one another and create fertile offspring. While that definition seems straightforward, the classification of a species can be difficult and at times riddled with controversy. Some organisms easily fit into this definition of a species, but many do not.
Learn what a biological species is, how it is classified and how it evolves. Scitable is a free online resource that provides science definitions, articles and videos.
