divergent evolution
noun
: the development of dissimilar traits or features (as of body structure or behavior) in closely related populations, species, or lineages of common ancestry that typically occupy dissimilar environments or ecological niches
The finches that Charles Darwin described in the Galapagos Islands are a classic example of divergent evolution. The beaks of different species evolved in response to specific evolutionary forces—different foods available on the various islands.—Henry Fountain
called also divergence
compare convergent evolution, parallel evolutionLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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