Evolution

Evolution

Of or pertaining to the change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation among individuals, and resulting in the development of new species.

Industry: Archaeology

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Evolution

ring species

Archaeology; Evolution

A situation in which two reproductively isolated populations (see reproductive isolation) living in the same region are connected by a geographic ring of populations that can interbreed.

polyphyletic group

Archaeology; Evolution

A set of species descended from more than one common ancestor. The ultimate common ancestor of all species in the group is not a member of the polyphyletic group.

clade

Archaeology; Evolution

A set of species descended from a common ancestral species. Synonym of monophyletic group.

paraphyletic group

Archaeology; Evolution

A set of species containing an ancestral species together with some, but not all, of its descendants. The species included in the group are those that have continued to resemble the ancestor; the ...

monophyletic group

Archaeology; Evolution

A set of species containing a common ancestor and all of its descendants, and not containing any organisms that are not the descendants of that common ancestor.

gene family

Archaeology; Evolution

A set of related genes occupying various loci in the DNA, almost certainly formed by duplication of an ancestral gene and having a recognizably similar sequence. Members of a gene family may be ...