Superspecies

As a super species or species circuit ( cladistics ) is called a monophyletic group of multiple types with the same or similar characteristics in the systematics of biology that are different diagnosable and their distribution areas are contiguous ( parapatric distribution ). Along their contact zones but no or at least only a limited gene exchange takes place. Partly are similar geographically separated from each species ( allopatric distribution ) in which reproductive isolation can only be assumed, combined to form a superspecies.

A super species thus represents a supplemented in special cases taxonomic intermediate between genus and species

Precursor of the super -species concept is the " circle shape " Otto Kleinschmidt. The term " Super Species " led until 1931 Ernst Mayr, a; the importance of the new concept originally corresponded in taxonomic terms exactly the meaning of Kleinschmidt 's form circle. Today's traditional meaning of super species differs from the Mayr'schen something, since the concept as well as the species concept has since been subjected to conversion to a meaning. The distinction between a species and a Super polytypic nature, so a species with several subspecies, is difficult and controversial in some cases.