Evolution is not simply chaotic species modification, but a lawful process with its own developmental vectors. In this section, we examine the macroevolutionary mechanisms that determine the survival and fate of major systematic groups.
The material focuses on two key topics: directions of evolution (aromorphosis, idioadaptation, general degeneration) and the criteria of biological progress. You will learn how major taxa are formed and why morphological simplification (for example, in helminths) is often also a pathway to evolutionary and ecological success.
During departmental colloquia and exams, professors most frequently ask for examples of each evolutionary pathway using parasitic forms or to trace aromorphoses in the anatomy of chordates. The ability to distinguish idioadaptation from aromorphosis using specific zoological cases is an absolute minimum for successfully passing medical biology.