Definition

The practice of random mating among individuals in a breeding population, which helps maintain genetic diversity.

Example

In a panmixia system, all individuals have an equal chance of mating with any other individual in the population.

Conversation

Have you ever heard about panmixia in biology?

Yeah, it's interesting how it refers to random mating in a population.

Right? I think it helps keep the gene pool diverse.

Exactly! It’s crucial for the survival of many species.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Panmixia → It is formed from "pan-" (meaning all) and "mixia" (from Greek "mixis", meaning mixing). The word describes a state of random mating within a population, where all individuals are equally likely to mate with one another.

Memory Tip

Think of 'all' ('pan-') being mixed together ('mixis') — that's why panmixia refers to a situation where everyone in a population can mate randomly.

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