Genomic Species Concept

The Genomic Species Concept defines a species based on its overall genetic makeup. It considers organisms to be of the same species if their genomes—complete sets of DNA—are highly similar, indicating they share a recent common ancestor and can exchange genetic material. This approach uses advanced DNA analysis to classify organisms more precisely than traditional methods, which might rely on physical appearance or limited traits. Essentially, if two organisms have very similar genomes, they are considered the same species, reflecting their close evolutionary relationship and biological continuity.