Digest: Evidence for incipient hybrid speciation in the Black-cheeked Gnateater

Homoploid hybrid speciation continues to be debated, particularly regarding the role of hybridization in generating reproductive isolation. Lima et al. (2026) present genetic evidence for an admixed lineage in the Black-cheeked Gnateater (Conopophaga melanops). Notably, patterns of isolation-by-distance, clinal plumage variation, and discordant signals in mitochondrial and nuclear markers complicate this interpretation. These findings highlight the difficulty of distinguishing hybrid speciation from secondary gene flow and underscore the reticulated nature of evolution.