Cryptic Species: Morphological Stasis, Circumscription, and Hidden Diversity

Cryptic species are organisms which look identical, but which represent  distinct evolutionary lineages. They are an emerging trend in organismal  biology across all groups, from flatworms, insects, amphibians,  primates, to vascular plants. This book critically evaluates the  phenomenon of cryptic species and demonstrates how they can play a  valuable role in improving our understanding of evolution, in particular  of morphological stasis. It also explores how the recognition of  cryptic species is intrinsically linked to the so-called 'species  problem', the lack of a unifying species concept in biology, and  suggests alternative approaches. Bringing together a range of  perspectives from practicing taxonomists, the book presents case studies  of cryptic species across a range of animal and plant groups. It will  be an invaluable text for all biologists interested in species and their  delimitation, definition, and purpose, including undergraduate and  graduate students and researchers.