Information AboutBasal |
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In Phylogenetics , basal members of a group diverged earlier than a subgroup of others (or ''vice versa''). It is often used in opposition to the word '' Derived ''. The term means nothing on its own and can be interpreted only in the context of the group as a whole. For instance: The Palaeodicots are basal Flowering Plant s, diverging before the main split between the Monocots and Eudicots . Orangutans are the most basal of the Great Ape s, having diverged from the line earliest. Many Biologist s (especially those that use Cladistics ) now prefer to use "basal" instead of the word "primitive," which may imply inferiority. On the contrary, if a basal member of a group exists alongside derived members, it has had exactly the same amout of time to Evolve and is usually still well-suited to its environment. |
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