Features that first appeared in the distant past and are shared by a large number of populations are called:

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Shared (symplesiomorphic) ancestral features are characteristics that were present in a common ancestor of a group of organisms and have been passed down to many of its descendants. These features may not be unique to the group and may be found in other organisms outside of the group. Autapomorphic features are unique to a particular group or species and are not shared with any other organisms. Shared (synapomorphic) derived features are shared among a group of related organisms but are not present in their common ancestor. Archetypes refer to universally recognized images, symbols, or patterns.

Features That First Appeared in the Distant Past and Are