What is common ancestor definition?

A common ancestor is an individual or organism from which two or more descendants are descended. It refers to the most recent individual or population from which a group of organisms has evolved. A common ancestor can be a single organism or a group of organisms that share a common genetic inheritance. In evolutionary biology, the concept of a common ancestor is used to understand the evolutionary relationships between different species. By identifying common ancestors, scientists can trace the history of life on Earth and understand how different species evolved over time. The identification of common ancestors is based on molecular data, fossils, and other evidence from comparative anatomy and genetics. In many cases, common ancestors are identified by analyzing the similarities and differences in DNA sequences among different populations or species.