1. occurring in the same area2. occupying the same geographical range without loss of identity from interbreeding; occurring between populations that are not geographically separated
Pertaining to two or more populations which occupy overlapping geographical areas
Closely related species that have overlapping ranges in nature but do not interbreed In different parts of its range, M musculus is sympatric with M macedonicus, M spicilegus, and M spretus (see Chapter 2)
Occurring in the place; inhabiting the same area Having overlapping distributions
(of biological species or speciation) occurring in the same or overlapping geographical areas
Existing in overlapping regions Also, a contentious but now generally accepted, if rare, mode of speciation where the populations are not isolated, but adopt distinct ecological behaviour and are forced by selection to diverge One form of sympatry - stasipatry - is the result from genetic (mainly chromosomal) reorganisation Selection is prominent in sympatric speciation
The presence of two or more species living in such proximity that breeding between them should be possible, though their continued existence as separate species indicates that it does not normally happen This contrasts with allopatry in which regional or geographical isolation normally denies the possibility of interbreeding
The condition in which the distributions of two species overlap and hybridization between taxa would be possible if they were not reproductively isolated by factors other than spatial separation