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General Biology: Evolutionary Character States and Homology

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Terms in this set (7)

  • What is a character state?
    The form of a character, such as “tail present” versus “tail absent.”
  • Define ancestral (primitive) character state.
    The older character state inferred to be present in the ancestor.
  • What is a derived character state?
    A newer, evolved character state relative to the ancestor.
  • What is a synapomorphy?
    A shared derived character that diagnoses or supports a clade.
  • Define homology.
    Similarity due to shared ancestry.
  • What is analogy or homoplasy?
    Similarity not due to shared ancestry, often caused by convergent evolution or reversal.
  • Explain convergent evolution.
    Independent evolution of similar traits in different lineages, causing homoplasy.