Synapomorphy
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Synapomorphy is a noun meaning (cladistics) A derived trait that is shared by two or more taxa of shared ancestry.
Meaning
(cladistics) A derived trait that is shared by two or more taxa of shared ancestry.
Example Sentences
A “synapomorphy” for a group then amounts to a state change in a character along the corresponding branch; some synapomorphies may be ambiguous when optimization is ambiguous and multiple MPRs exist.
Another supposed synapomorphy of Rhamporhynchidae + Pterodactyloidea presented by Unwin (1995) is the subequal length of metacarpals I–III. In all non-pterodactyloid specimens where this region is known metacarpals I–III are about the same length. Therefore this feature cannot be used as a synapomorphy of Rhamporhynchidae + Pterodactyloidea.
Word Forms
- synapomorphies
Antonyms for synapomorphy
Common opposites include plesiomorphy.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include symplesiomorphy, autapomorphy, autapomorph, synplesiomorphy, autoapomorphy, plesiomorphy.
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Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
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