WordGarden.iosympatric
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /sɪmˈpætrɪk/adjective
US
Meanings
Adjective
occurring in the same geographic area
Beyond the definition
Imagine two groups of birds living side by side in the same forest. If they begin to split into different species while still living in that same place, that is sympatric speciation. The word is used mainly in biology. It describes populations or species that live in the same geographic area rather than being separated by distance or a physical barrier. Unlike allopatric speciation, where groups are split apart, sympatric change happens in place.
The word sympatric is used mainly in biology. It describes populations, species, or closely related groups that live in the same geographic area. Very often, it appears in discussions of sympatric speciation, where new species develop without being separated by physical barriers such as mountains, rivers, or large distances.
Consider the case of apple maggot flies: at first, they laid their eggs on hawthorn fruit, but some later began using domestic apples after apples were introduced. Over time, the two groups became reproductively isolated, meaning they no longer freely interbred, even though they still lived in the same orchards. This is a classic example of sympatric speciation.
The core idea is simple: the groups share the same range. The term does not just mean "similar" or "friendly"; it is about living in the same place. In biology, this matters because groups can diverge while remaining in contact instead of being split apart. In that sense, sympatric points to change, coexistence, or speciation within a shared area.
Examples
- 1
Species range
The two frog species are sympatric in the lowland forests of Borneo.
- 2
Competition avoidance
Several sympatric bird species avoid competition by feeding at different heights in the same forest.
- 3
Populations
Even in sympatric populations, the two insects rarely interbreed.
- Phrasesympatric populations
populations living in the same area
See also
Similar
- co-occurring
- geographically overlapping
Shades of meaning
- syntopic
- coexisting
Contrast
- allopatric
- parapatric
Used with (collocations)
- sympatric species
- sympatric populations
- sympatric speciation
- sympatric divergence
Word family
- sympatry
- sympatrically
Explore
- speciation
- geographic isolation
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- sympatricadjective