What is the Difference Between Synapomorphy and Symplesiomorphy?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Synapomorphy and symplesiomorphy are two types of evolutionary characteristics used to understand the relationships between different groups of organisms. The main difference between them lies in the sharing of the character and the ancestry it represents.
Synapomorphy:
- A synapomorphy is a common property demonstrated by two or more groups of organisms, which is present in their recent common ancestor.
- It describes a derived character, meaning it has evolved in the past.
- Synapomorphies can be used to establish relationships between different groups of organisms.
Examples of synapomorphy include the human and gorilla skeleton, forearm bones in humans, bats, and cats.
Symplesiomorphy:
- A symplesiomorphy is a characteristic property that is developed and presented by different groups of organisms, but it occurs in their earliest common ancestor.
- It describes an ancestral character, meaning it has been inherited from a common ancestor.
- Symplesiomorphies should not be used to unite taxa, as they do not provide information about relationships.
Examples of symplesiomorphy include quadrupedalism (all mammals having four limbs), mitochondria in both plant cells and animal cells, and sporophytes.
In summary, the main difference between synapomorphy and symplesiomorphy is that synapomorphy represents a derived character shared by two or more taxa with their recent common ancestor, while symplesiomorphy represents an ancestral character shared by different groups of organisms with their earliest common ancestor.
Comparative Table: Synapomorphy vs Symplesiomorphy
Here is a table comparing synapomorphy and symplesiomorphy:
| Feature | Synapomorphy | Symplesiomorphy |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A characteristic present in an ancestral species and shared by two or more groups of organisms with their recent common ancestor. | A characteristic property developed and presented by different groups of organisms and occurs in their earliest common ancestor. |
| Character Type | Derived character. | Ancestral character. |
| Sharing | Shared with recent common ancestor. | Shared with earliest common ancestor. |
| Examples | Human and gorilla skeleton, forearm bones of human, bat, and cat. | Quadrupedalism (all mammals having four limbs), mitochondria of both plant and animal cells, and sporophytes. |
| Use | Synapomorphic traits can be used as links to detect relationships between different groups. | Provides evidence about similarities between recent taxa and helps characterize and classify organisms. |
In summary, synapomorphy refers to a derived character shared by two or more groups of organisms with their recent common ancestor, while symplesiomorphy refers to an ancestral character shared by different groups of organisms and occurs in their earliest common ancestor. Both synapomorphy and symplesiomorphy are types of characters used in the identification of organisms and provide evidence about the similarities between recent taxa.
- Apomorphy vs Plesiomorphy
- Homoplasy vs Homology
- Parapatric vs Sympatric Speciation
- Synapse vs Synapsis
- Allopatric vs Sympatric Speciation
- Ontogeny vs Phylogeny
- Taxonomy vs Phylogeny
- Evolution vs Speciation
- Symptom vs Syndrome
- Cladogram vs Phylogenetic Tree
- Metonymy vs Synecdoche
- Haplogroup vs Haplotype
- Diapsid vs Synapsid
- Paradigm vs Syntagm
- Genotype vs Phenotype
- Homologous vs Analogous
- Metaphor vs Metonymy
- Phenetics vs Cladistics
- Synchondrosis vs Symphysis