ring species

noun

A biological species consisting of overlapping subgroups, each of which can interbreed with the next, but which cannot freely interbreed when taken as a whole

“Ring species demonstrate that "can interbreed with" is not transitive.”

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Meanings

nounring species (plural ring species)
  1. A biological species consisting of overlapping subgroups, each of which can interbreed with the next, but which cannot freely interbreed when taken as a whole

    Ring species demonstrate that "can interbreed with" is not transitive.

Translations

Finnish rengaslaji
  • rengaslajibiological species
German Artenkreis, Rassenkreis
  • Artenkreisbiological species
  • Rassenkreisbiological species
  • Ringspeziesbiological species
Cite this entry
APA

ring species. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ring%20species

MLA

“ring species.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ring%20species. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ring species,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ring%20species.

Source: ring species on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.