2026/05/01 by Edward L. Braun · 1 voice
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Physics and Astronomy · #Developmental Biology and Gene Regulation #Evolution and Genetic Dynamics #Origins and Evolution of Life
paper · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2026.03.062
openalex publication_date 2026/05/01 · openalex created_date 2026/05/06 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/17
Hemiplasy - which arises due to discordance between gene trees and species trees - can cause traits to appear convergent despite a single origin. New evidence suggests it is widespread in the bird tree of life, with important implications for identifying genes underlying differences among species and for accurately inferring evolutionary history.