Re: Meaning of Term, 2#

[djsmith@ccnet.com (Derek Smith)]

>To all:
>
>What does the term "synapomorphy" mean?  It was not in my dictionary.
>
>R.K. Clark

A term used in phylogenetics (particualarly cladistics) to denote a
shared-derived character, that is, a character (say, feathers) that is
shared by members of a group and the closest common ancestor of that group,
but not shared by others outside of the group.  A synapomorphy can also be
called a "homologous character."

D. J. Smith