The article revisits the concept of refugia, which are geographical regions where species persist during periods of maximum contraction in their geographical range, particularly during glacial and interglacial cycles. The authors propose a flexible definition of refugia that accommodates species adapted to different climatic conditions and highlights the individualistic responses of species to climate change. They classify refugia into glacial and interglacial categories, based on their timing, and further divide them by geographical location, including traditional southern refugia, polar refugia for cold-adapted species, and cryptic refugia for both temperate and cold-adapted species. The article discusses the importance of the oceanic-continental gradient in shaping refugial distributions and the size and duration of refugia, which have implications for species persistence and evolution. It also explores the role of refugia in speciation, particularly in Arctic species like the polar bear and Arctic fox, and the potential for rapid evolution in cryptic refugia. The authors conclude that the individualistic nature of species' responses to climate change and the varying characteristics of different refugia have significant evolutionary implications.The article revisits the concept of refugia, which are geographical regions where species persist during periods of maximum contraction in their geographical range, particularly during glacial and interglacial cycles. The authors propose a flexible definition of refugia that accommodates species adapted to different climatic conditions and highlights the individualistic responses of species to climate change. They classify refugia into glacial and interglacial categories, based on their timing, and further divide them by geographical location, including traditional southern refugia, polar refugia for cold-adapted species, and cryptic refugia for both temperate and cold-adapted species. The article discusses the importance of the oceanic-continental gradient in shaping refugial distributions and the size and duration of refugia, which have implications for species persistence and evolution. It also explores the role of refugia in speciation, particularly in Arctic species like the polar bear and Arctic fox, and the potential for rapid evolution in cryptic refugia. The authors conclude that the individualistic nature of species' responses to climate change and the varying characteristics of different refugia have significant evolutionary implications.