Confused - homology vs. homoplasy vs. convergent evolution...

Yes, ovaries and testies are homologous sex organs, but they are not a type of homoplasy. Homology and homoplasy are not one in the same, if anything they are more like opposites. Homoplasy and convergent evolution are related to eachother, homology is a totally separate term from the other two.

Homoplasy - term for anytime the same character state exists for a given characteristic, regardless of how it came to be. Convergent evolution is only one form of homoplasy.

Convergent Evolution - A type of homoplasy that occurs when natural selection causes the same trait to evolve in totally different taxa. Most often this is occurs when the same phenotype evolves because it is advantageous under certain conditions (e.g. similar body types in swimming animals, like sharks and dolphins).

Homology - When a character or structure in two different taxa was inherited from a common ancestor. The femur of a bat and the femur of a horse were both inherited from an early tetrapod ancestor that had a femur.

/r/evolution Thread Parent