Even in punctuated equilibria there are no distinct "steps" in evolution. But a single significant event can be pointed out common to the evolution of both lineages: the initial divergence of the ancestors of whales and humans from a common ancestor, thought to have taken place between 70 and 60 million years ago.
Plants and animals diverged from a common ancestor around 1.1 billion years ago during the Precambrian era. This marked the beginning of the evolution of distinct plant and animal lineages.
similar structures arising independently in different lineages, convergent evolution among different lineages, and adaptation by different lineages to the same selective pressures
An example of branching evolution is the divergence of mammals and reptiles from a common ancestor. Over time, these two groups evolved distinctive traits and characteristics, leading to the development of separate lineages with different evolutionary paths. This process of branching evolution resulted in the diverse array of species we see today.
Divergence is the growing apart of two lineages - lines of descent. Divergence may occur at the morphological, behavioural and developmental level, and will always occur at the genetic level, at least when two lineages are reproductively isolated from one another.
Disruptive selection is a type of natural selection where extreme phenotypes are favored over intermediate ones, leading to the divergence of a population into two distinct forms. This can result in the formation of new species as individuals with extreme traits are better adapted to different environmental conditions, driving the evolution of separate lineages.
Evolution is a process of continuous divergence. A lineage splits, producing two or more diverging descendant lineages. Each of these lineages may then produce more diverging lineages, like branches stemming from a trunk. As such, a tree structure nicely represents the plot of diverging lineages and their ancestors. Hence, the so-called "tree of life".
According to the Theory of Darwinistic biological Evolution, chimpanzees and humans share a common ancestor. This ancestor was a node leading to the development of a clade bearing 2 new lineages, one for the taxa whose modern representative is Pan, and one for the taxa whose present day Holocene representative is Homo
Convergent evolution, where unrelated organisms independently evolve similar traits to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches. This occurs due to similar selective pressures driving specific adaptations, leading to the development of analogous structures or functions in different lineages.
Evolution, which includes the divergence of lineages and the formation of new species as a result of that, is something that is happening continuously, in all lifeforms.
Branching evolution refers to the concept that species diverge from a common ancestor and gradually evolve into distinct lineages over time. This results in a tree-like pattern of relationships among different species, where each branch represents a unique evolutionary path. Branching evolution is evidence of the diversity of life on Earth and the process of natural selection driving species adaptation to their environments.
The similarities retained by two lineages due to their common ancestry are known as homologous traits or homologous characteristics. These traits arise from shared evolutionary origins and can be structural, developmental, or genetic in nature. Homology contrasts with analogous traits, which arise independently in different lineages due to convergent evolution.