Relating to or resulting from heterophylesis; derived from different evolutionary lineages or ancestral species.
From heterophylesis + -ic. Used in comparative biology and evolutionary studies to describe organisms that diverged from different ancestral sources.
Heterophyletic groups are scientifically 'fake' families—organisms that look similar because they independently evolved similar traits from different ancestors! Bat wings and bird wings are heterophyletic solutions to flying.
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