Peripatric Speciation

Speciation by small populations isolated on the periphery of the distribution of the parent population can be described as peripatric speciation. Small, peripheral populations occupy ecdlogical niches not occupied by parental population and these founder populations can carry only a small part of the genetic variability of the parent population. Origin of species by peripatric speciation can be explained as follows: Initially species consists of uniformly distributed individuals. The individuals are grouped as populations between which there is a limited gene flow. This gene flow keeps the populations as an integrated species. As long as there is a free flow of genes, even if it were to be limited, a new species cannot be formed.