BIOL 1020 Chapter Notes - Chapter 24: Allopatric Speciation, Species, Eastern Spotted Skunk

• School: University of Manitoba
• Department: Biological Sciences
• Course: BIOL 1020
• Professor: Joy Stacey

Document Summary

In contrast, humans have considerable diversity, but we all belong to the same species because of our capacity to interbreed. Two organisms that use different habitats (even in the same geographic area) are unlikely to encounter each other to even attempt mating: two species of garter snakes in the genus thamnophis occur in the same areas. Because one lives mainly in water and the other is primarily terrestrial, they rarely encounter each other: behavioral isolation. Many species use elaborate courtship behaviors unique to the species to attract mates. In many species, elaborate courtship displays identify potential mates of the correct species and synchronize gonadal maturation. In the blue-footed booby, males perform a high-step dance that calls the female"s attention to the male"s bright blue feet: temporal isolation. Two species that breed during different times of day, different seasons, or different years cannot mix gametes: the geographic ranges of the western spotted skunk and the eastern spotted skunk overlap.