Evolutionary change occurring at a slower rate than standard, referring to the pace at which species gradually transform over geological time.
From Greek 'bradys' (slow) + 'telos' (end/goal) in the sense of evolutionary direction. This noun form describes the phenomenon of unusually slow evolutionary progression.
The ocean depths are like a time machine for bradytely—deep-sea creatures evolve so slowly because their environment barely changes, so nature doesn't pressure them to adapt quickly like surface organisms.
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