Derived traits are newly evolved features that did not appear in the ancestors of a lineage.
Imagine you're part of a band. Your band might have started out playing only rock music (like all the other bands), but then you decide to incorporate electronic elements into your sound. This new style is a "derived trait" - it's something new that sets you apart from the bands (or ancestors) who came before you.
Ancestral Trait: A trait that existed in an ancestor.
Adaptive Radiation: The rapid evolution of many diverse species from a single ancestor, often associated with changes in environment or habitat availability.
Convergent Evolution: The process by which unrelated organisms independently evolve similarities when adapting to similar environments.
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