Dictionary » C » Convergent evolution

Convergent evolution

Definition

noun

A kind of evolution wherein organisms evolve structures that have similar (analogous) structures or functions in spite of their evolutionary ancestors being very dissimilar or unrelated.


Supplement

Examples are:

Compare: divergent evolution.


Please contribute to this project, if you have more information about this term feel free to edit this page



Results from our forum


Neutral mutations, pseudogenes, and evolution

... - thanks in advance for the help. I have been reading a few books on evolution lately - I just finished Jerry Coyne's Why Evolution is True , ... their common ancestor (pseudogene comparisons have been a part of the convergent genetic evidence showing that humans and chimps are more closely ...

See entire post
by JimmyJazz
Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:05 am
 
Forum: Genetics
Topic: Neutral mutations, pseudogenes, and evolution
Replies: 6
Views: 999

dinosuar extinction

... million years ago. Or, are these types of creatures similar because of convergent evolution ? Or, something else ?

See entire post
by neginf
Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:09 am
 
Forum: Evolution
Topic: dinosuar extinction
Replies: 8
Views: 791

Re: Experimental evidence for evolution

... organisms to a relatively few highly adaptive options, so that ‘‘the evolutionary routes are many, but the destinations are limited’’. He and others point to numerous examples of convergent evolution as evidence that selection finds the same adaptations despite ...

See entire post
by Geokinkladze
Mon Sep 06, 2010 8:09 pm
 
Forum: Evolution
Topic: Experimental evidence for evolution
Replies: 102
Views: 50696

Re: Please help point artist to unique animal functions

One of the most famous examples of convergent evolution is the camera eye of cephalopods (e.g., squid), vertebrates (e.g., mammals) and cnidaria (e.g., ...

See entire post
by triplezseoservices
Wed Jun 30, 2010 8:11 am
 
Forum: Zoology Discussion
Topic: Please help point artist to unique animal functions
Replies: 5
Views: 1531

Re: Experimental evidence for evolution

... "Darwinian." Many people use it interchangably with "evolutionary." It is hard nowadays to understand what people mean by ... is not utterly random is evident from the ubiquity of homoplasy, ( convergent evolution) at least within clades that encompass lower parts of ...

See entire post
by jevg
Fri Jun 25, 2010 10:16 am
 
Forum: Evolution
Topic: Experimental evidence for evolution
Replies: 102
Views: 50696
View all matching forum results

This page was last modified 02:36, 22 July 2008. This page has been accessed 59,652 times. 
What links here | Related changes | Permanent link