Genomics of Speciation

Advances in genomics and in our ability to analyze and interpret genomic data have revolutionized our understanding of how new species arise (Bock et al., 2023; Seehausen et al., 2014). These developments have also democratized the study of speciation by enabling research on long-lived organisms, those difficult to culture in laboratory or greenhouse settings, or those that are challenging to mate (K. Delmore et al., 2024). Here, we first describe major insights into speciation enabled by genomic approaches, many of which are further illuminated by the 51 papers published in this special issue. We then discuss unresolved questions raised in the special issue. Lastly, we identify promising areas for future research, considering both notable gaps in our understanding of speciation and emerging technological and analytical tools that will help us fill some of these gaps and open new avenues of inquiry.