Catagenesis is a somewhat archaic term from evolutionary biology referring to evolutionary directions that were considered "retrogressive." It was a term used in contrast to anagenesis, which in present usage denotes the evolution of a single population into a new form without branching lines of descent.

The earliest written reference to catagenesis comes from Edward Drinker Cope[1], in his article, On Catagenesis, published in The American Naturalist in 1884. In this article, he defines the "primitive energy", which evolution through time has specialized. He defines catagenesis as a return to the "primitive energy"[2].

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References

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  1. ^ "Catagenesis". Oxford English Dictionary. 1933. Retrieved November 30, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ Cope, Edward (October 1, 1884). "On Catagenesis". The American Naturalist. 18 (10): 970–984 – via The University of Chicago Press.