title: Cryptic species as a window on diversity and conservation.
abstract: The taxonomic challenge posed by cryptic species (two or more distinct species classified as a single species) has been recognized for nearly 300 years, but the advent of relatively inexpensive and rapid DNA sequencing has given biologists a new tool for detecting and differentiating morphologically similar species. Here, we synthesize the literature on cryptic and sibling species and discuss trends in their discovery. However, a lack of systematic studies leaves many questions open, such as whether cryptic species are more common in particular habitats, latitudes or taxonomic groups. The discovery of cryptic species is likely to be non-random with regard to taxon and biome and, hence, could have profound implications for evolutionary theory, biogeography and conservation planning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Republic of Singapore.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bickford
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lohman
authors.forename: Navjot S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Sodhi
authors.forename: Peter K L
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Winker
authors.forename: Krista K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Ingram
authors.forename: Indraneil
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004463:Ecology; D017753:Ecosystem; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005843:Geography; D010802:Phylogeny; D022821:RNA Splice Sites; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D022821:RNA Splice Sites