The prevailing theory until now suggests that regular gene flow through successful pairings between populations is the main barrier to their segregation into species. In recent years, however, theoretical and empirical work has shown that speciation is possible under certain circumstances despite this continued exchange of genetic information. To date, few research results are available that show the actual extent of the phenomenon of speciation despite documented gene flow, and the time frame necessary for a new species to arise. In particular, it is not clear whether the process of speciation, once started, will inevitably lead to complete genomic and reproductive isolation sooner or later. This would mean that the diverging populations are developing into new species in the sense of the widely recognized biological species concept.
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Source: Phys.org