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The origin of species is one of the most actively studied topics in evolutionary biology. This special issue of Heredity show the breadth of current studies into the genetics of speciation, a field currently absorbing the new possibilities of the post-genomic era. Understanding the genetics of speciation concerns trying to identify key changes underlying differentiation and reproductive isolation rather than those carried along in its wake. These papers address a broad range of organisms and present new and exciting insights. Loci of large effect are being identified and we are, at last, making progress in studying these in an ecological context and addressing the forms of natural or sexual selection responsible for their substitution.
