In biology, a cryptic species complex is a group of species that satisfy the biological definition of species — that is, they are reproductively isolated from each other — but which are not morphologically distinguishable. The individual species within the complex can only be separated using non-morphological data, such as from DNA sequence analysis, bioacoustics, or thorough life history studies. They can, but need not be, parapatric, quite often are sympatric, and sometimes allopatric. Biology studies the variety of life (clockwise from top-left) E. coli, tree fern, gazelle, Goliath beetle Biology (from Greek: βίος, bio, life; and λόγος, logos, knowledge), also referred to as the biological sciences, is the study of living organisms utilizing the scientific method. ... The hierarchy of scientific classification. ... The term morphology in biology refers to the outward appearance (shape, structure, colour, pattern) of an organism or taxon and its component parts. ... part of a DNA sequence A DNA sequence (sometimes genetic sequence) is a succession of letters representing the primary structure of a real or hypothetical DNA molecule or strand, The possible letters are A, C, G, and T, representing the four nucleotide subunits of a DNA strand (adenine, cytosine, guanine... Bioacoustics is a cross-disciplinary science that combines biology and acoustics. ... Life history theory is a method of analysis in animal and human biology, psychology, and especially evolutionary sociobiology which postulates that many of the physiological traits and behaviors of individuals may be best understood in relation to the key maturational and reproductive characteristics that define the life course. ... Parapatry is a type of speciation where the ranges of two species abut but do not overlap. ... Sympatry is one of three theoretical models for the phenomenon of speciation. ... Allopatric speciation (also known as Allopatry) is speciation by geographical isolation. ...

Examples:

• Gray-cheeked thrush and Bicknell's Thrush
• tapaculos
• Two-barred Flasher (suspected)

A related concept is the superspecies. This is a group of at least two more or less distinctive species with approximately parapatric distributions. Not all cryptic species complexes are superspecies, and vice versa, but many are. A superspecies consisting of two sister species is called a species pair. Binomial name Catharus minimus (Lafresnaye, 1848) The Gray-cheeked Thrush, Catharus minimus, is a medium-sized thrush. ... Binomial name Catharus bicknelli (Ridgway, 1882) The Bicknells Thrush, Catharus bicknelli, is a medium-sized thrush. ... Genera Pteroptochos Scelorchilus Rhinocrypta Teledromas Liosceles Psilorhamphus Merulaxis Melanopareia Eugralla Myornis Scytalopus Acropternis The tapaculos are a family (Rhinocryptidae) of small passerine bird species found in South America. ... Binomial name The Two-barred Flasher (Astraptes fulgerator), is a cryptic species complex in the spread-wing skipper butterfly genus Astraptes. ... Parapatry is a type of speciation where the ranges of two species abut but do not overlap. ... This cladogram shows the relationship among various insect groups. ...

Examples:

• Puffinus puffinus group of shearwaters - not a superspecies, but the P. yelkouan group formerly contained therein is indeed one.
• Phylloscopus collybita group of leaf warblers
• tapaculos

Binomial name Puffinus puffinus (Brünnich, 1764) The Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. ... Genera Procellaria Calonectris Puffinus †See also fulmar, prion, petrel Shearwaters are medium-sized long-winged seabirds. ... Binomial name Phylloscopus collybita (Vieillot, 1817) The Chiffchaff, Phylloscopus collybita, is a common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe and Asia. ... Species See text Leaf warblers are very small insectivorous birds belonging to the genus Phylloscopus of the Old World warbler family Sylviidae. ...

See also

• Ring species

In this diagram, interbreeding populations are represented by coloured blocks. ...

External links

• Shellee Morehead, Jon Seger, Don Feener and Brian Brown, A cryptic species complex in the ant parasitoid Apocephalus paraponerae (Diptera: Phoridae)