Punctuated equilibrium is commonly contrasted against phyletic gradualism, the idea that evolution generally occurs uniformly and by the steady and gradual transformation of whole lineages (called anagenesis).
O equilibrio puntuado contraponse ao gradualismo filético, a idea de que a evolución xeralmente ocorre de forma uniforme e pola transformación constante e gradual de liñaxes completas (o que se chama anaxénese).