Organism
Galápagos Finches
TL;DR
The Galápagos finches exemplify allopatric speciation - divergence in geographic isolation.
The Galápagos finches exemplify allopatric speciation - divergence in geographic isolation. Isolated on different islands with no gene flow, they diverged into distinct species adapted to different food sources. This is the most common speciation mechanism: complete isolation (Nm = 0) allows populations to accumulate genetic differences through drift and local adaptation.
Notable Traits of Galápagos Finches
- Allopatric speciation example
- Adaptive radiation
- Beak specialization