colour phase

British  

noun

1. a seasonal change in the coloration of some animals

2. an abnormal variation in the coloration shown by a group of animals within a species

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Example Sentences

This colour phase, which is often spoken of as if constituting a distinct species, is rare near the northern border of the range of the animal.

From A Journey from Prince of Wales's Fort in Hudson's Bay to the Northern Ocean in the Years 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 New Edition with Introduction, Notes, and Illustrations by Tyrrell, J. B.