Meaning & use
autapomorphy
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In evolutionary biology, a derived trait that is unique to a single taxon and not shared by its close relatives.
See it in a sentence
The elephant's trunk is often cited as an autapomorphy within its family.
Researchers identified an autapomorphy in the skull shape that distinguished the new species.
A note on using this word
"Autapomorphy" is a core concept in cladistics, contrasting with "synapomorphy," a derived trait shared by two or more taxa that defines a common group.
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