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Atavism

Definition

noun, plural: atavisms

(1) A reversion, or an individual reverting, to an earlier type; an evolutionary throwback.

(2) A reappearance of an ancestral characteristic in an organism after several generations of absence.


Supplement

Atavisms occur due to chance recombination of genes. Genes coding for such traits are preserved in DNA although the genes may not be expressed in some organisms.


Word origin: Latin atavus, a great-grandfather's grandfather and, thus, more generally, an ancestor.
Related forms: atavist (noun), atavistic (adjective).

See also: pangenesis.


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two different color eyes

There is something called Atavism....that is sometime some traits of grand or grand grand parents are expressed in the succesive offsprings. Could be one reason. Secondly, if it's Y linked trait, that may come through father....need not ...

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by AKumar
Fri Jun 17, 2011 7:16 pm
 
Forum: Human Biology
Topic: two different color eyes
Replies: 139
Views: 211525

A Monkey's Uncle

... thinking that evolution always works upward. It simply means the differentiation or mutation from a parent organism. There are several examples of atavism, especially in the plant kingdom. To suggest that evolution doesn’t work laterally as well is fuzzy thinking. Picture an arid zone. Picture ...

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by AstusAleator
Wed Mar 14, 2007 7:01 am
 
Forum: Evolution
Topic: A Monkey's Uncle
Replies: 26
Views: 47996

A Monkey's Uncle

... thinking that evolution always works upward. It simply means the differentiation or mutation from a parent organism. There are several examples of atavism, especially in the plant kingdom. To suggest that evolution doesn’t work laterally as well is fuzzy thinking. Picture an arid zone. Picture ...

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by JDavidE
Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:29 am
 
Forum: Evolution
Topic: A Monkey's Uncle
Replies: 26
Views: 47996

one theory

Finally, I understood your question. Well, my opinion is some kind of atavism (phenotip displayed at today's organisms which is characteristic for their ancient ancestors). Probably menstruation turn on (express) this genes for face's hair and so that's going ...

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by smiljko
Thu Aug 03, 2006 12:02 pm
 
Forum: Human Biology
Topic: human hairs
Replies: 7
Views: 2590

Evolution Tests With Bacteria

TO believe evolution u needn't say that humans evolved from dogs... And atavism is a birth defect, one that tells us about higher probability of linkage between apes and us or any other pairs in other cases... Atavism is not a birth defect it is a process in ...

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by Linn
Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:39 pm
 
Forum: Evolution
Topic: Evolution Tests With Bacteria
Replies: 87
Views: 35323
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