Conspecificity

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Conspecificity is a concept in biology. Two or more individual organisms, populations, or taxa are conspecific if they belong to the same species.[1]

Where different species can interbreed and their gametes compete, the conspecific gametes take precedence over heterospecific gametes. This is known as conspecific sperm precedence, or conspecific pollen precedence in plants.

Related concepts

Not to be confused with Congenic.

Congeners are organisms within the same genus.[2]

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Antonym

The antonym (opposite term) of conspecificity is the term heterospecificity: two individuals are heterospecific if they are considered to belong to different biological species.[3]

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See also

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References

  1. ^ "Conspecificity". Biology online. Retrieved 5 December 2009. 
  2. ^ Congener, Merriam-Webster.com. Accessed 2009-03-25
  3. ^ "Heterospecificity". Biology online. Retrieved 5 December 2009. 
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Last modified on 11 March 2013, at 02:54