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MENTAL MODEL · M12350

Convergent Evolution

Convergent Evolution
TechnicalHigh supportEvolutionary Biology
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Unrelated lineages independently evolve similar traits under similar environmental pressures (e.g., wings in bats and birds), resulting in functional convergence.

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Convergent evolution is the independent evolution of similar features in species of different lineages. Convergent evolution creates analogous structures that have similar form or function but were not present in the last common ancestor of those groups. The cladistic term for the same phenomenon is…

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This is convergent evolution: groups with different ancestry independently acquire functionally similar traits due to similar ecological niches and selection pressures. It is the same phenomenon as 'convergent evolution' but with a different transliteration.

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Source support: Explicit

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    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convergent_evolutionZH · Explicit
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