neotenia

[nee-uh-tee-nee-uh]

neotenia Definition

  • 1the retention of juvenile characteristics in the adult form of an organism
  • 2the attainment of sexual maturity while one or more organs remain in a juvenile state

Using neotenia: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "neotenia" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    The axolotl is a classic example of neoteny.

  • Example

    Neoteny is often used in the field of evolutionary biology to describe the retention of juvenile traits in adult organisms.

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Summary: neotenia in Brief

The term 'neotenia' [nee-uh-tee-nee-uh] refers to the retention of juvenile characteristics in the adult form of an organism, or the attainment of sexual maturity while one or more organs remain in a juvenile state. It is commonly used in the field of evolutionary biology to describe the phenomenon of retaining juvenile traits in adult organisms.