cryptic species

American  

[krip-tik spee-sheez] / ˈkrɪp tɪk ˈspi ʃiz /

noun

1. a species that is genetically distinct from one or more other species but morphologically identical.

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Example Sentences

"Animals that look similar but are genetically distinct are called cryptic species," said Chan, who also serves as Curator of Vertebrate Collections and a core faculty member in MSU's Ecology, Evolution and Behavior program.

From Science Daily • Mar. 9, 2026

"Even though hundreds of molecular studies have uncovered hundreds of cryptic species, very few have been formally described or named," said Wiens.

From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026

Many are what scientists call cryptic species, meaning they are visually almost impossible to tell apart.

From Science Daily • Jan. 29, 2026

"It's often only possible to distinguish between cryptic species using DNA, which can be slow, invasive, and costly," explained Jewell.

From Science Daily • Jan. 29, 2026

At one extreme, multiple species can look alike even though they are different species -- these are known as cryptic species.

From Science Daily • Dec. 21, 2023