Background Until recently, the evolution of the genus Homo has been interpreted in the
context of the onset of African aridity and the expansion of open grasslands. Homo erectus …

For centuries, scientists have recognized and worked to understand how Earth's mutable
landscape and climate shape the distribution and evolution of species. Here, we describe …

Local adaptation is a central feature of most species occupying spatially heterogeneous
environments, and may factor critically in responses to environmental change. However …

Species is the fundamental taxonomic unit in biology and its delimitation has implications for
conservation. In giraffe (Giraffa spp.), multiple taxonomic classifications have been proposed …

Common law judges were worried that if jurors learned of the accused's past acts or
character traits, they would punish him not for being proved guilty of this crime, but for the …

Background In the speciation continuum, the strength of reproductive isolation varies, and
species boundaries are blurred by gene flow. Interbreeding among giraffe (Giraffa spp.) in …

All giraffe (Giraffa) were previously assigned to a single species (G. camelopardalis) and
nine subspecies. However, multi‐locus analyses of all subspecies have shown that there …

We review the state of African ungulate taxonomy over the last 120 years, with an emphasis
on the introduction of the polytypic species concept and the discipline's general neglect …

Strong genetic structure has prompted discussion regarding giraffe taxonomy, 1, 2, 3
including a suggestion to split the giraffe into four species: Northern (Giraffa c …

The nature of species, especially as applied to large mammals, is of major concern in
conservation. Here, we briefly comment on recent thinking in alpha taxonomy, and assert …