macromutationismn.
/ˌmakrəʊmjuːˈteɪʃn̩ɪz(ə)m/, /ˌmakrəʊmjuːˈteɪʃənɪz(ə)m/, U.S. /ˈˌmækroʊmjuˈteɪʃənɪzəm/ Biology.
A theory in which macromutation is thought to be the key factor in the evolution of new taxa.
ΚΠ
1977 S. J. Gould Ontogeny & Phylogeny Gloss. 483 Macromutationism, a theory that new taxa evolve essentially instantaneously via a major genetic mutation that establishes reproductive isolation and new adaptations all at once.
1989 R. Dawkins in J. R. Durant Human Origins i. 7 Having distinguished between punctuated equilibria and macromutationism, I now want to distinguish between two forms of macromutationism itself, which I shall call ‘747 macromutationism’ and ‘stretched DC8 macromutationism’.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, March 2000; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1977