anagenesis

(noun)

Evolution of a new species through a large scale change in gene frequency so that the new species replaces the old, rather than branching to produce an additional species.

Related Terms

Examples of anagenesis in the following topics:

  • The Fossil Record and the Evolution of the Modern Horse

    • Both anagenesis, a gradual change in an entire population's gene frequency, and cladogenesis, a population "splitting" into two distinct evolutionary branches, occurred, and many species coexisted with "ancestor" species at various times.