Isomorphism (biology)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article is an orphan, as few or no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; suggestions may be available. (February 2009) |
- For other uses of isomorphism, see isomorphism (disambiguation).
In biology, an isomorphism is a similarity of form or structure between organisms, generally between organisms with independent ancestries, e.g. after convergent evolution. Two organisms exhibiting isomorphism are referred to as isomorphs.[1][2]
The separate evolution of camera eyes in vertebrates and cephalopods (and insects, and many more, in as many as fifty separate instances), is an example of isomorphism. So is the evolution of wings in insects, dinosaurs, birds, and bats.
The term isomorphism is borrowed from mathematical usage, where it refers to a one-to-one mapping between the elements of two sets.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Isomorphism
- ^ The term isomorphism is borrowed from mathematical usage, where it refers to a one-to-one mapping between the elements of two sets.
 |
This biology article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
