dimorphic
Existing in two forms
Dimorphic describes something existing in two distinct forms.
The term appears most often in biology, where sexual dimorphism means males and females of a species differ markedly in appearance: Peacocks are sexually dimorphic—males have elaborate tail feathers while females are drab.
The word also applies in chemistry to substances that crystallize in two different structures.
Bird's complete feather coat
- antlersBranching cervid headgear
- maneNeck hair, horse/lion
- colorationSurface hue arrangement
- tusksExtended animal incisors
horns · feathers · markings · crest · dewlap · tail · body mass · beak
Sperm-producing sex
- femaleOffspring-bearing sex
- morphsChanges form gradually
- phenotypeObservable characteristics of organism
- genotypeOrganism's complete allele set
dichotomy · body plan · anatomy · physiology · bimodal · differentiation · variation · monomorphic
Trait-driven reproductive advantage
- natural selectionDifferential reproductive success
- reproductive successOffspring contribution to future generations
- fitnessGood physical shape
- ornamentationDecorative additions to something
courtship · male competition · adaptive · inherited · ancestral · derived · selective pressure · Darwin
Enduring mate attachment
- courtshipSeeking another's romantic favor
- breedingReproductive cultivation of organisms
- territorialityDefense of claimed space
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
pheromones · nesting · parental care · fertilization · spawning · rutting · monogamy · polygyny
Recurring at fixed intervals
- developmentalRelated to growth stages
- conditionalDependent on prerequisites
- facultativeCapable but not obligated
- obligateCommit by necessity
threshold · caste · reversible
plumage
Bird's complete feather coat
- antlersBranching cervid headgear
- maneNeck hair, horse/lion
- colorationSurface hue arrangement
tusks · horns · feathers · markings · crest · dewlap · tail · body mass · beak · fins
male
Sperm-producing sex
- femaleOffspring-bearing sex
- morphsChanges form gradually
- phenotypeObservable characteristics of organism
genotype · dichotomy · body plan · anatomy · physiology · bimodal · differentiation · variation · monomorphic
sexual selection
Trait-driven reproductive advantage
- natural selectionDifferential reproductive success
- reproductive successOffspring contribution to future generations
- fitnessGood physical shape
ornamentation · courtship · male competition · adaptive · inherited · ancestral · derived · selective pressure · Darwin · Wallace
pair bonding
Enduring mate attachment
- courtshipSeeking another's romantic favor
- breedingReproductive cultivation of organisms
- territorialityDefense of claimed space
dominance · pheromones · nesting · parental care · fertilization · spawning · rutting · monogamy · polygyny · polyandry
seasonal
Recurring at fixed intervals
- developmentalRelated to growth stages
- conditionalDependent on prerequisites
- facultativeCapable but not obligated
obligate · threshold · caste · reversible
dimorphicmonomorphic
Having one form
uniform · isomorphic · undifferentiated · homogeneous · polymorphic