heterochrony

American  

[het-uh-rok-ruh-nee] / ˌhɛt əˈrɒk rə ni /

noun

Biology.

1. a genetic shift in timing of the development of a tissue or anatomical part, or in the onset of a physiological process, relative to an ancestor.

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heterochrony Scientific  

/ hĕt′ə-rō-krŏn′ē /

1. A change in the timing or duration of an organism's ontogenetic development compared with an ancestral species, resulting in morphological differences between ancestor and descendant.

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Other Word Forms

• heterochronic adjective
• heterochronistic adjective
• heterochronous adjective

Etymology

Origin of heterochrony

1875–80; hetero- + chron- + -y ³; compare German Heterochron

Example Sentences

Evolution of craniofacial novelty in parrots through developmental modularity and heterochrony.

From Scientific American • Mar. 2, 2013

He suggested an interesting explanation of heterochrony in development, according to which the premature or retarded appearance of organs in ontogeny stands in close relation with the time of their entering upon functional activity.

From Form and Function A Contribution to the History of Animal Morphology by E. S. (Edward Stuart) Russell