Sympatric speciation: compliance with phenotype diversification from a single genotype
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Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Quantifying Abdominal Pigmentation in Drosophila melanogaster
Published on: June 1, 2017
1Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tokyo, Komaba, Japan. kaneko@complex.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Abstract:
A novel mechanism for sympatric speciation that takes into account complex bioprocesses within each individual organism is proposed. According to dynamical systems theory, organisms with identical genotypes can possess differentiated physiological states and may coexist 'symbiotically' through appropriate mutual interaction. With mutations, the phenotypically differentiated organisms gradually come to possess distinct genotypes while maintaining their symbiotic relationship. This symbiotic speciation is robust against sexual recombination, because offspring of mixed parentage with intermediate genotypes are less fit than their parents. This leads to sterility of the hybrid. Accordingly, a basis for mating preference also arises.
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Gene Duplication and Divergence
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are characterized.

