unique species
One-of-a-kind lifeform
A unique species is one that has no close relatives and occupies its own distinct branch on the evolutionary tree.
The term appears in conservation biology, where unique species receive priority because their extinction would eliminate an entire lineage rather than just one member of a larger group: The tuatara is a unique species—the sole survivor of an order that otherwise died out with the dinosaurs.
- endemismGeographic species restriction
- mating ritualsPrecopulatory display sequences
- biodiversity hotspotsEndemic-rich areas under threat
- genetic diversityAllelic variation within populations
- extinction riskLikelihood of permanent disappearance
rare breed · niche · phylogenetics · natural selection · conservation biology · ecosystem · migration patterns · wildlife corridors · biogeography · communication signals · clade · territoriality · Galápagos · Darwin's finches · symbiosis · habitat fragmentation · survival instinct · exoskeleton
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