autopolyploid

A polyploid whose constituent genomes are derived from the same or nearly the same progenitor. In an autotetraploid, each chromosome is present in four copies, so meiotic configurations may include many (or exclusively) quadrivalents (four paired chromosomes), and the inheritance of alleles will be quadruplex. Quadrivalents do not always segregate normaly at meiosis, resulting in lowered fertility, so some established autotetraploid species that reproduce sexually have restricted quadrivalent formation.