PRINCIPLES OF SYSTEMATICS

GUL ZAREEN JAVAID

(107)
TOPIC: Polytypic species
Super species
Submitted To : SIR Ahmer
OUTLINE

 The Concept Of polytypic species

 Examples of polytypic species
 Importance of recognition of polytypic species
 Difficulties in the application of polytypic species
 Polytypic species in animal kingdom
 The concept of super species
 Examples Of super species
POLYTYPIC SPECIES

Any Species that has two or more than two

subspecies Are called polytypic species
Geographically isolated members Of the same species are
Called subspecies
Example
HORNARD LARK
Main species of honard lark is Eremophila alpestris alpestris

1. Eremophila alpestris strigata

2. Eremophila alpestris flava
3. Eremophila alpestris longirostris
 Species that are not divided into subspecies are called
monotypic species

 Polythetic and monothetic terms were also used for

polytypic and monotypic species respectively

 Beckner In 1959 was the first who put forward the concept of
polytypic species

 The Concept of polytypic species was most important

development in classification of animals ,because certain local
species from various parts of the world were combined into
groups (Allopatric Species)
 Importance Of recognition of
polytypic species
1. This concept greatly simply the classification Of groups like birds
,mammals ,snails and butterflies
2. Monotypic species represented a complex classification but due this
concept classification is very simple and complete
3. This is due to polytypic species concept that 19000 monotypic species
of Birds have been reduced to 9000 species
4. It has restored the biological meaning if species and it’s hierarchy
5. It has provide best Evidence of Allopatric speciation and evolutionary
changes in peripheral and intermediate stage.
Difficulties In The application OF
POLYTYPIC SPECIES

 Polytypic species is composed of Allopatric population and it is

difficult to decide whether Allopatric population belong to same
polytypic species or two different but closely related polytypic
species
 Closely related species with similar ecological requirements.
Occasionally replace each other geographically and then it is difficult
to decide whether they are full species are subspecies
 Isolated population are in middle of the process of evolving Intl a new
species are jn border line between species and subspecies
Polytypic species in animal
kingdom
 In certain group if anim kingdom like mammals Birds
snails and butterflies it is recognized that about 40_80%
of their species are polytypic

 Some specialized. Group like certain host parasite do not

readly form polytypic species and have monotypic species
..however rarely have polytypic species
 Super species

 Super species is not a formal taxonomic category

 It represent group of related ,totally allotropic and monophyletic
species
 Kleinschmidt in 1926 used the term Formenkreis for geographic
series
 Rensch in1929 proposed A German word Artenkries for group of
Allopatric species
 BUT LATER on Mayer in 1931 introduced the term super species
For the sake of convince
Definition of super species

A monophyletic group of closely related and Largely or entirely

Allopatric that are too distinct to be included in a single species or
that demonstrate their reproductive isolation in a zone of contact

 Super species are not given nomenclature recognition but are

listed in monograph and catalogue by an appropriate use of
heading and symbol
Simpson in 1961

A group of population that have passed beyond the point of potential

interbreeding and have acquired separate evolutionary role

 It is still presumed that they are near the critical point of speciation
 The component species of super species were originally designated As Semi
species
 AMADON in 1967 introduced the term Allospecies for the component species
of super species
 But many workers recognized the two types of super species
1. GEOGRAPHICAL
2. CHRNOLOGICAL
 Example of super species
 A good example of a superspecies is
the Black-Throated Green Warbler
group that includes this species as well
as
1. Townsend’s,
2. Hermit,
3. Golden-Cheeked,
4. Black-Throated Gray Warblers.
 Each of the latter four species in the
above group is thought to have
evolved from its Black-Throated
Green ancesto
THE END……. 😎😎