Patterns of Evolution and Structures

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What is punctuated equilibrium?

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A theory in evolutionary biology that suggests episodes of speciation occur suddenly in geologic time, followed by long periods of little evolutionary change.

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What are vestigial structures?

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Structures that no longer serve a purpose in a living organism, such as hip bones in whales.

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What is gradualism?

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The process of slow changes occurring over a very long period of time in evolutionary biology.

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What is extinction?

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The end of an organism or a species, as exemplified by the dodo bird, which could not adapt and died out.

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What is coevolution?

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A process in which species evolve in response to changes in each other, adapting and changing together.

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What are homologous structures?

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Anatomical features in different species that share a common ancestry, such as the forelimbs of mammals.

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What are analogous structures?

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Features in different species that serve similar functions but do not share a common ancestry, like wings of birds and insects.

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What is divergent evolution?

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The process by which two or more related species become more dissimilar over time, often due to different environmental pressures.

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What is convergent evolution?

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The process where unrelated species develop similar traits due to adapting to similar environments or ecological niches.

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What is adaptive radiation?

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The rapid evolution of diversely adapted species from a common ancestor, often following the colonization of new environments.