The problem of the species concept in the phylogeny of the cave bears

Abstract

[Abstract] This a short review of a series of concepts daily used in palaentology, trying to connect them with their meaning in other fields of study in Biology. Firstly, it should be pointed out if the concept of species comes from an empiric reality or if it has arisen from the scientific need of assembling. The evolutive concept of speciation, as well as its "methods" seem to be based in the term population. Hence, as meaningful discussions on speciation require a common definition of its end result, namely species, a solution to the tricky issue of defining species probably lies in a deeper knowledge of the processes behind speciation itself.