Nearest common ancestor

Evolutionary cetacean tree (ungulates also included)

The closest common ancestor (BOP) or the Last common ancestor (POP) ( English Most recent common ancestor or English MRCA ) is a term in biology that refers to a hypothetical group of animals that existed in the past, from which all representatives of a certain taxon originated. Also, the term is often used in genealogy .

According to modern evolutionary ideas, all the cellular organisms of planet Earth have a common origin, that is, any two groups of living organisms, even as different as animals and plants, have a common ancestor. This principle underlies biological systematics: any biological taxon is constructed in such a way as to combine species originating from one common ancestor. So the common ancestor of amniotes (all terrestrial vertebrates, with the exception of amphibians ) lived about 300-320 million years ago, the common ancestor of all modern vertebrates - about 500 million years. back.

For example, Protungulatum - BOP for lithopterns , artiodactyls , artiodactyls and cetaceans .