noun
- A condition in which an organism contains two or more complete sets of chromosomes derived from different species.
Usage: technical; biology; genetics
Examples
- Amphiploidy occurs when chromosomes from two different species combine in a single organism.
- The wheat plant is a classic example of amphiploidy, resulting from hybridization of ancestral species.
- Scientists study amphiploidy to understand how new plant species evolve through polyploidization.
- Amphiploidy can lead to reproductive isolation and the formation of new species.
- The sterility often observed in hybrids can sometimes be overcome through amphiploidy.