convergent evolution

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It’s an example of convergent evolution, when completely unrelated species independently evolve comparable traits in response to similar environmental pressures.

From Slate • Jan. 25, 2026

"The convergent evolution of crabs has happened about five times in history, but it's happened within the group of decapods."

From BBC • Oct. 17, 2025

This makes them striking examples of convergent evolution, where two evolutionarily distinct groups evolve similar characteristics due to similar environments and occupying similar niches.

From Salon • May 11, 2025

The researchers found that this convergent evolution is likely related to changes in the number of copies and the expression patterns of the floral regulatory gene, CYC2.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2024

There may be some convergent evolution because there may be only one best solution to a certain environmental problem— something like two eyes, for example, for binocular vision at optical frequencies.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan