Which type of speciation could result between species existing in the same geographical area?

Sympatric speciation occurs when new species emerge from a single ancestral species while inhabiting the same geographical region. This process is characterized by the development of reproductive barriers that prevent gene flow between groups within the shared habitat, despite the absence of physical separation.

Various mechanisms can drive sympatric speciation, including polyploidy (common in plants), behavioral isolation (differences in mating preferences), and temporal isolation (differences in breeding times). Over time, these factors lead to diverging evolutionary paths for the populations involved, eventually resulting in speciation.

In contrast, allopatric speciation requires physical barriers to separate populations, and peripatric speciation involves a small group becoming isolated at the edge of a larger population's range. Habitat isolation refers to the presence of different environments within the same geographical area that can lead to reduced interaction between species, but it does not necessarily result in the formation of new species from a shared habitat.