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Convergent evolution—the repeated evolution of similar traits in multiple lineages which all ancestrally lack the trait—is rife in nature, as illustrated by the examples below. The ultimate cause of convergence is usually a similar evolutionary biome , as similar environments will select for similar traits in any species occupying the same ...
As more and more fossil groups were found and recognized in the late 19th and early 20th century, palaeontologists worked to understand the history of animals through the ages by linking together known groups. [20] The Tree of life was slowly being mapped out, with fossil groups taking up their position in the tree as understanding increased.
A similar developmental origin suggests they are the same structure, and thus likely derived from a common ancestor. When a group of organisms share a homologous structure that is specialized to perform a variety of functions to adapt different environmental conditions and modes of life, it is called adaptive radiation.
iterative evolution The repeated evolution of similar phenotypic characteristics or traits in different organisms at different times during the evolutionary history of a clade, [1] a phenomenon which can result in the seeming de-extinction of an organism previously considered extinct. iteroparity
Convergent evolution is the process in which related or distantly related organisms evolve similar characteristics independently. This type of evolution creates analogous structures which have a similar function, structure, or form between the two species. For example, sharks and dolphins look alike but they are not related.
Common descent is a concept in evolutionary biology applicable when one species is the ancestor of two or more species later in time. According to modern evolutionary biology, all living beings could be descendants of a unique ancestor commonly referred to as the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) of all life on Earth.
Mosaic evolution – Evolution of characters at various rates both within and between species; Parallel evolution – Similar evolution in distinct species; Quantum evolution – Evolution where transitional forms are particularly unstable and do not last long; Recurrent evolution – The repeated evolution of a particular character
The evolution of shared characteristics in descendent populations must occur through natural selection. [ 1 ] [ 9 ] Even though, there are multiple well characterized cases of parallel speciation for example sticklebacks , [ 2 ] [ 10 ] stick insects [ 7 ] [ 11 ] finches , [ 12 ] marine snails , [ 13 ] and cichlid fishes , [ 14 ] have been ...