A chromosomal pairing or union that occurs between homologous chromosomes from different species during meiosis, especially in hybrid organisms.
From Greek 'allo-' (other) and 'syndesis' (binding together). The term developed in cytogenetics as scientists studied hybrid chromosome behavior.
When you create a hybrid organism by crossing two different species, their chromosomes sometimes try to pair up with foreign chromosomes in a process called allosyndesis—this can cause fertility problems because the mismatched pairing disrupts normal cell division.
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