Adaptive Radiation

The process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area starting from a point and literally radiating to other areas of geography (habitats) is called adaptive radiation. Australian marsupials exhibit this phenomenon and gave varieties of marsupials, e.g., Numbat, Spotted cuscus, Flying phalanger, etc.

Adaptive radiation is the process by which multiple species evolve from a common ancestor within a given geographical area, spreading and adapting to different habitats/niches, as seen with Darwin's finches on the Galapagos Islands.

The process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area starting from a point and literally radiating to other areas of geography (habitats) is called adaptive radiation.
Darwin's finches of the Galapagos Islands and Australian marsupials are examples.

On the Galapagos Islands Darwin observed many varieties of small black birds, later called Darwin's finches.
All the varieties evolved on the islands themselves from an original seed-eating stock; forms with altered beaks arose, enabling them to become insectivorous and vegetarian finches.
This process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area, starting from a point and literally radiating to other habitats, is called adaptive radiation.
Convergent evolution is the reverse case, in which unrelated groups come to resemble each other; industrial melanism is an example of natural selection in moths.
Hence Darwin's finches are a good example of adaptive radiation.

During his voyage Darwin observed small black birds on the Galapagos Islands, later called Darwin's finches.
He found many varieties of finches on the same group of islands, and concluded that all of them had evolved on the islands themselves from one original seed-eating stock.
From the seed-eating features, many other forms with altered beaks arose, enabling them to become insectivorous and vegetarian finches.
This process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area, starting from a point and literally radiating to other areas of geography (habitats), is called adaptive radiation.
Another example is the Australian marsupials.
So Darwin's finches are an excellent example of adaptive radiation.

Adaptive radiation is the process of evolution of different species in a given geographical area, starting from a point (a common ancestor) and radiating to other habitats.
The descendants of the common ancestor become adapted to different modes of life and so diverge into different species; it is also known as divergent evolution. The term was given by H.F. Osborn.
Examples are Darwin's finches of the Galapagos Islands and the Australian marsupials.
The placental mammals also show it: they became adapted for aerial (bat), aquatic (whale and dolphin), burrowing (rat), running (horse) and tree-living (monkey) modes of life.
It is not the migration of a species, and it is not the power of one individual to adapt to many environments.
So adaptive radiation refers to the evolution of different species from a common ancestor.