sibling species

noun

, Biology.

1. one of two or more species that closely resemble one another but whose members cannot interbreed successfully.

sibling species

/ sĭb′lĭng /

1. Any of two or more related species that are morphologically nearly identical but are incapable of producing fertile hybrids. Sibling species can only be identified by genetic, biochemical, behavioral, or ecological factors, and are thought to have become divergent very recently.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sibling species¹

First recorded in 1940–45