synapomorphy en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱómder.? Proto-Indo-European *sem-der.? Proto-Hellenic *ksún Ancient Greek σύν (sún) Ancient Greek σῠν- (sŭn-)der. English syn- Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó Proto-Hellenic *apó Ancient Greek ᾰ̓πό (ăpó) Ancient Greek ᾰ̓πο- (ăpo-)bor. English apo- Ancient Greek μορφή (morphḗ)bor. English -morphy English apomorphy English synapomorphy From syn- + apomorphy.
Meanings
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A derived trait that is shared by two or more taxa of shared ancestry.
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.
2022, Pablo A. Goloboff, From Observations to Optimal Phylogenetic Trees: Phylogenetic Analysis of Morphological Data, Vol. 1: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.
2003, Eric Buffetaut, Jean-Michel Mazin, Evolution and Palaeobiology of Pterosaurs, page 117:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| synapomorphies | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
plesiomorphy (antonym(s) of “derived trait that is shared”)