Sympatry refers to the occurrence of two or more species or populations in the same geographical area. Synonyms for sympatry include contemporaneity, coexistence, coterminousness, and co-occurrence. The term sympatry is commonly used in the field of biogeography and ecology, where it describes the spatial relationships between different species and their interactions within the same habitat. Other related terms include allopatry, which refers to the occurrence of two or more species in different geographical areas, and parapatry, which describes the occurrence of two or more species in adjacent but distinct geographical areas. Understanding the distribution and ecology of sympatric species is important in determining their roles in ecosystems and predicting their responses to environmental change.