Final answer:
Evolutionary divergence refers to the same or similar features arising in separate taxa that are not descended from a single close ancestor. This is known as convergent evolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Evolutionary divergence refers to the same or similar features arising in separate taxa that are not descended from a single close ancestor. This phenomenon is known as convergent evolution, not divergent evolution. Convergent evolution occurs when similar traits with the same function evolve in multiple species exposed to similar selection pressures.
For example, bats and insects both have wings for flight, even though they do not share a recent common ancestry. This is an example of convergent evolution, where wings that allow flight have developed from different original structures due to different environmental conditions.
In contrast, divergent evolution occurs when two species evolve in different directions from a common point. An example of divergent evolution is the forelimbs of humans, dogs, birds, and whales, which have evolved to fulfill different functions.