Speciation: isolation, divergence, and hybrids

What you’ll practice

Speciation isn’t one event—it’s a chain of barriers, divergence, and occasional gene flow. You’ll practice spotting which isolating mechanism is at work and predicting what happens when separated populations meet again.

The quiz uses 4 options per question and there’s no timer, so you can reason through scenarios and terminology without rushing.

Difficulty and quiz setup

Difficulty is mixed: you’ll see straightforward definitions alongside applied questions that combine isolation, selection, and hybrid outcomes. Choose your preferred question count and difficulty before starting to tailor the session to quick revision or deeper practice.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Many mistakes come from mixing up prezygotic vs postzygotic barriers, or assuming geographic separation always leads to new species. Watch for wording that hints at gene flow, reinforcement, or hybrid fitness.

• Confusing allopatric speciation with any kind of isolation
• Treating “species” as purely morphological rather than a concept with multiple definitions
• Forgetting that reproductive isolation can be partial and evolve gradually
• Misreading hybrid zones as proof that speciation failed
• Mixing up reinforcement, fusion, and stability outcomes in secondary contact

How to improve your score

After each run, revisit questions you missed and restate the key cue that determined the answer (barrier type, timing, or hybrid viability). Over time you’ll get faster at mapping a scenario to the correct speciation model and outcome.