The Point of no return in the process of speciation Der Point of no return im Speziationsprozess
Peters, G.
Zoologische Abhandlungen 50(Suppl): 69-76
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0375-5231 Document Number: 316774
Relatively late the Phylogenetic systematics sensu HENNIG adopted the concept of Evolutionary species (ESC), which has shown to be consistent with its theoretical framework. The substitution of tokogenetic by phylogenetic relationships characterizes the borderline between populations (subgroups) in a species and emerging species lineages. Thus, the "Point of no return" in the speciation process emphasizes the irreversible beginning of independence and self-preservation of a new species. For the recognition of Evolutionary species some "operational tools" of secondary species concepts (the Morphological, Isolation, Cohesion, Recognition, Phylogenetic concept etc.) taken as indications instead of criterions, are useful, whereas others are of limited value or misleading. The so-called "isolating mechanisms", which have to be interpreted as side-effects of infraspecific cohesion, as well as the mate recognition systems and the species specific niche are emergent properties of Evolutionary species. The "smallest diagnosable units" of the Phylogenetic species concept for ontological and methodical reasons cannot be equalized with Evolutionary species.