Pronunciation: pe-re-PAT-rik

Etymology: Peripatric (speciation is defined elsewhere) is derived from two Greek roots that mean around (peri, περί) and fatherland (patrida, πατρίδα). The reference is to a peripheral population on the outside of the homeland of the species.

Peripatric speciation occurs when a new species is formed from a small population isolated at the edge of the larger population’s geographic range. The small population, if it enters a new niche can change rapidly and become reproductively isolated from the parental species. See Allopatric Speciation, Sympatric Speciation, and Isolating Mechanisms.

By Jack R. Holt. Last revised: 01/02/2009