loomaliigid
Loomaliigid, the Estonian term for "animal species," denotes the distinct taxonomic units within the animal kingdom recognized by scientists. A species is commonly defined as a group of natural populations that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring, and that are reproductively isolated from other such groups. In practice, species delimitation often relies on multiple criteria, and several species concepts exist, including the biological, morphological, genetic/lineage, and phylogenetic concepts. Each concept has strengths and limitations, and biologists may apply different criteria depending on the taxonomic group and available data.
Loomaliigid form the basic units of biodiversity and are central to conservation, ecology, and management. They
Examples of animal loomaliigid include Homo sapiens, Canis lupus, Panthera tigris, and Apis mellifera, illustrating both
Challenges in delimiting loomaliigid include cryptic species that appear similar morphologically but are genetically distinct, hybridization