Intra species variations can over time lead to speciation. When an isolated sub population can no longer breed with the larger population, you have speciation by definition. While Gould advocated large surges of evolutionary activity following mass extinctions with stasis in between, he recognized genetic drift occurring when it gave a reproductive advantage. Many intraspecies variations are the result of copying errors (mutations).
Punctuated equilibrium takes time because change can be very fast in a geologic time scale and still take millions of years as in the 20 million year Cambrian Explosion.
“When an isolated sub population can no longer breed with the larger population, you have speciation by definition. “- js
Not exactly - Different species have actual differences in genetics and behavior.
If I seperate out a colony of white rats, and prevent them from interbreeding with any other rats, have I created a new species? Simply no.
-And without further mutation, they will *always* be the same species of rat as the original, and be capable of interbreeding.
What can I do to end this?
Ok, I figured it out.
You win - Man made global warming made the fleas evolve. You and the good professor should report to Stockholm to collect your Nobel prizes.
:-)