World of Dinosaurs/Basal vs Derived
Appearance
The terms "basal" and "derived" are relative. They only make sense if you provide the context - what clade are you talking about?
- Basal animals have the traits required to belong in their clade, but otherwise have a lot in common, still, with that last common ancestor that unites the clade.
- Derived animals have features really different from the last common ancestor at the base of their clade.
Examples:
- Coelophysis is a derived tetrapod, but it's a basal dinosaur.
- Archeopteryx is a derived dinosaur, but it's a basal bird.
Come up with your own examples. Within any clade of animals, what is a good example of a basal animal? What is a good example of a derived animal?