Cladogenetic

/klædoʊdʒəˈnɛtɪk/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or resulting from cladogenesis; describing evolutionary change that occurs through the splitting of species into separate lineages.

Etymology

From cladogenesis plus the adjectival suffix '-ic,' which means 'relating to' or 'of the nature of.' Combines Greek 'klados' (branch) and 'genesis' (origin).

Kelly Says

The cladogenetic model revolutionized how scientists think about evolution—instead of imagining life as a ladder where organisms climb upward, we now see it as a branching tree where species split and diversify in different directions.

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