Members of two species that are each other's closest relatives are found living sympatrically on a single island. What, if anything, can we conclude about their origins?
A)One species originated sympatrically from the other.
B)Both species originated sympatrically from a third species, which has gone extinct.
C)Neither species originated sympatrically.
D)One species originated allopatrically on the island and then gave rise to the other one via sympatric speciation.
E)None of the answer options is correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of two closely related species living sympatrically does not provide enough information to conclusively determine their origins. Multiple scenarios, including allopatric speciation followed by secondary contact, could explain their current distribution.

Members of Two Species That Are Each Other's Closest Relatives