Morphology
The form and structure of an organism, including size, shape, color, and arrangement of parts. The study of physical form.
Used in the Books
This term appears in 7 chapters:
"...cular analysis of phenotypic plasticity in Daphnia, showing how environmental chemical signals trigger gene expression changes that produce defensive morphology. Textbook example of within-lifetime adaptation without genetic mutation.* Business Case Studies TIME. "Netflix Loses 800,000 Subscribers A..."
"...tion using Darwin's finches as the primary example. Explains how a single ancestral species diversified to fill multiple ecological niches, with beak morphology as the key adaptive trait.*"
"Accessible narrative of how the 1977 and 1983 climate events drove rapid evolutionary changes in beak morphology, providing direct observation of natural selection in action. [BOOK - widely available] Founder Effects and Population Bottlenecks **Hoelzel, A..."
"In some radiations (Hawaiian Drosophila, with 500+ species), species differ primarily in courtship behavior and genital morphology, with minimal ecological divergence. Sexual selection on mating traits may drive speciation independently of ecological specialization, creating dive..."
"... enhance mutualism: - Plants evolved nectar (reward for pollinators), bright colors and scents (attractants), and floral shapes matched to pollinator morphology (e.g., long tubular flowers for hummingbirds, landing platforms for bees). - Pollinators evolved sensory abilities (color vision, scent detection), s..."
And 2 more chapters...
Biological Context
Morphology reflects evolutionary history, ecological adaptation, and developmental constraints. Similar morphologies can arise independently in unrelated species facing similar selective pressures (convergent evolution). Morphological traits are often used in species identification and classification.