saltationism

Example:Traditional gradualism does not account for the rapid transformation seen in these new species.

Definition:the theory in evolutionary biology that gradual changes, usually taking place over a long period of time, underlie macroevolution and major evolutionary advancements.

Example:Phyletic gradualism holds that new species arise when one lineage becomes increasingly distinct from its ancestors.

Definition:a theory of evolutionary change that suggests that over long periods of time, species evolve primarily by changes in the average characteristics of the entire lineage, rather than through selective changes in individual traits.